Book Freebie and Sales Plus Flash Visa Gift Card Giveaway

A whopping three of my books are on sale for $0.99 starting today through April 28. And as an added bonus Falling for Autumn will be free on those dates as well! Both events will be on Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Below is a list of books and links included in the sale along with a giveaway. Don't forget to check out my latest release too: Deadly Prophecy, a Second Sight Spin-Off!

Pretending Hearts: Amazon and Amazon UK
The Ex Trials: Amazon and Amazon UK
The Disappearing Girl: Amazon and Amazon UK
Falling for Autumn: Amazon and Amazon UK

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Free Book Alert: The Disappearing Girl Plus Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

The Disappearing Girl is very rarely on sale so don't miss out on picking it up as a freebie! This standalone novel is one of my most beloved by readers and the book I get the most emails about! I won't lie, it's a tough read, especially for anyone has struggled not only with an eating disorder, but any type of body image issue. I've included an excerpt below and I'm hosting a giveaway for a $30 Amazon Gift Card.

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Disappearing-Girl-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Disappearing-Girl-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ

Excerpt:

Cameron’s temper was building. I could feel the tension in the air. He was showing restraint when all he probably wanted to do was to scream at me for my irrational behavior. His voice was strained. “Kayla, you’ve been here all day and you haven’t eaten a thing …”

My expression was deadly as we locked gazes. “When the hell did it become everyone’s business whether or not I eat? Last time I checked, it was my body.”

I could tell what he was thinking by the way his features twisted. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t the quiet and meek girl he’d been dating. This girl was bitter and wanted to unleash her rage on those around her.

“Lila called me, Kayla,” Cameron said in a resigned tone. I hadn’t successfully incited his anger. He refused to be pushed away. I could play chicken with him endlessly—he’d still never be the first one to yield.

“Why would my sister call you?”

“She told me she heard you throwing up in the bathroom. She found a stockpile of snacks and thinks you’ve been forcing yourself to get sick for a while now to lose weight…”

“Lila is sixteen years old. She’s a child and has no right to make accusations and go behind my back and call my boyfriend.”

“Kayla, she’s scared. And so am I,” he admitted. “You never want to do anything because you’re tired all the time. You’re constantly canceling our plans because you claim you’re not feeling well …”

“I don’t want to hear this. You and Lila had no right to talk about me behind my back.” I jumped up from the table, knocking over my chair in the process.

“Kayla, you have to start eating better. These habits aren’t healthy,” he insisted. Getting out of his chair, he took careful, measured steps across the room.

“You said Scarlett does crazy diets all the time. It’s not that big of a deal to try different things to lose weight,” I countered.

“That’s not what you’re doing. Your diet has turned into something else entirely,” he said softly.

“Fine! You want me to eat, then I’ll eat.” I shoved past him roughly and headed to his cupboards. Opening one of the cabinets, I blindly grabbed at packages of food. After ripping into a box of cookies, I shoved a handful in my mouth. Crumbs tumbled out of my mouth as I demanded, “Is this what you want? Does it make you happy? Because I’m sure I won’t be hearing from you once I become fat again.”

“Cut it out.”

I removed a box of cereal from his cabinet. I shoveled fistful after fistful of the sugary flakes into my mouth. Rummaging through his other cabinets, I found a half-empty box of doughnuts. I devoured them in quick bites, powder caking over my lips.

“This is fucking crazy, Kayla.” Cameron was planted in the center of the kitchen. I saw the suffering on his face after I polished off a third donut. He appeared unsure if he should stop me since I was actually eating or if he should protest my binging in his presence.

“What, Cameron?” I taunted. “You don’t like to see the fat girl inside of me eat? Or you don’t like the realization that this disgusts you and deep down you’re actually a hypocrite?”

“That’s not it and you know me better than that.” I could hear a quiet rage in his voice. “You need help and you refuse to do anything about it. You’re better than this, Kayla. Your dad would hate to know his death was doing this to you.”

I stopped guzzling down a can of soda at his words. “Don’t you dare bring my father into this.” I darted away from him, heading toward the bathroom. Three feet from the door, Cameron’s strong arms encircled me from behind. “What are you doing?” I cried.

“You’re not going into the bathroom and throwing that food up,” he said fiercely to my back.

I tried to squirm out of his hold, but he only tightened his grip. “You’re the one with the problem,” I said. “Does it make you feel like a big strong man to be able to hold down your one-hundred-and-five-pound girlfriend?”

“I know you probably hate me right now, but I can’t watch you hurt yourself anymore. We’re going to get you help,” he said, clearly agonized.

“Cameron, let me go!” I screamed.

My thoughts were irrational. I couldn’t think of anything else except getting the food out of me. The more seconds that passed, the more time the food would have to digest and be stuck inside me forever.

I swung around and pelted his chests with my fists. “Why are you doing this to me? Can’t you see what kind of pain I’m in? Just let me go to the bathroom. Please!”

“Kayla, please, we can get through this together. Why can’t you see that you’re so fucking beautiful? It wouldn’t matter to me if you were three hundred pounds …” he choked out. His eyes flooded, and I turned my face away in horror. I bucked wildly against him and his hold slipped enough to permit me to free myself from his arms and sprint into the bathroom.

Slamming the door shut and locking it, I desired nothing more than to collapse onto the floor and disappear into oblivion. Instead, I shoved my finger down my throat and vomited. By the time I was finished, my cheeks were soaked with tears. With a sob, I clutched at the edge of the porcelain sink.

How could I leave the sanctity of the bathroom? Once my body had been purged of every last morsel of food, lucidity returned. I’d just screamed at and assaulted the kindest, most honest person in my life. What kind of sane person could deal with my baggage? It was over. I suspected I’d finally pushed Cameron to the point where he’d no longer want anything to do with me.

Cameron’s eyes were red-rimmed when I slunk out of the bathroom ten minutes later. My plan was to leave; to grab my things and disappear wordlessly, an attempt to give him an easy out.

“I’ll just leave …” Docile Kayla was back. My enraged other half fled the scene of the crime, leaving behind tears and recriminations in her wake.  

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The Disappearing Girl Sale and Healthier Thinking for the New Year's

At the start of the New Year, I know a lot of thought goes into weight loss and getting back in shape. I'm all for healthy habits, but for those who are suffering from an eating disorder, this time of year can be a difficult one. I'm putting The Disappearing Girl on sale for the new year and I wanted to share a little bit of the backstory to the novel.

When I was in high school, some really ugly stuff was going on in my life. I won't get into specifics because I'd never want to hurt anyone by sharing my story, but it was very a dark period for me. All this bad stuff was going on around me and I felt that I had no control over anything. For the most part, I'd been thin in middle school, but I found my weight going up in high school. I was a stress eater and I turned to food for solace since I felt I had no one else there for me in my life.

I can remember the first time I made myself vomit. I had overeaten at lunch and went into the school's bathroom and shoved my fingers into my throat. I remember thinking how easy it was. The food would come out just as easy as it went in. I could binge and never worry about gaining a pound.

I never considered myself bulimic or thought I suffered from an eating disorder. I would only throw up from time to time, so I never realized what I was doing was unhealthy or could be a problem. And until I gained perspective over what was happening, I didn't consider that the times I was throwing up was during times of stress.

The thing about bulimia is that throwing up your food is hard to keep a secret. There was a lot of lingering in the bathroom, running the water in hopes no one would hear me gagging, trying to clean away the evidence off my face and hands. I would try to look at myself in the mirror after and I couldn't do it. I felt myself rotting from the inside out.

This behavior went on for years, well until I finished college. I think a big turning point for me was my husband (at the time boyfriend) catching me as I threw up a particular big meal on vacation. I was ashamed of who I had become and what I was willing to do to my body. After I became pregnant with my first child, I decided I'd never risk my health in that way again.

But the thing is those mixed up feelings about weight and food never go away. They linger and I still struggle all the time to not become obsessive about my weight. There's always this deep drive to try the latest fad diet or pick up a new bottle of weight loss supplements. I have to always take a step back and give myself a mental pep talk in order to get my thinking back on track.

Writing The Disappearing Girl was therapeutic and I'm happy with myself right now. I exercise (but keep it fun) and I'm trying to incorporate healthy recipes into my family diet's instead of strict diet plans.

In short, I wanted to make it clear that The Disappearing Girl has the most of me in it. All those emotions Kayla goes through as she suffers from an eating disorder came from my own personal experience. My intent was to be honest and hopefully reach women and men who are possibly going through the same issues I had.

The Disappearing Girl is on sale for 99 Cents through the weekend on Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Disappearing-Girl-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Disappearing-Girl-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ  

The graphic at the top was done by a blogger and very talented graphic artist named Georgina. You can check out her blog and design portfolio here: http://www.whatshereads.co.uk/category/what-georgie-did/

Mental Health Giveaway Hop-Win an Amazon Gift Card and a Copy of The Disappearing Girl

Win a copy of The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood (ebook) and a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Giveaway is international and ends March 27. Good luck!

Goodreads Summary:

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing...

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.
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The Disappearing Girl 99 Cents Book Sale

I rarely put my standalone NA novel The Disappearing Girl on sale but the price will be chopped and available for 99 cents until 2/14. As part of the promotion, I'm also giving away bookmarks to US buyers. Simply email me your receipt from Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and your mailing address and I'll send you a free bookmark. Below is the summary, buy links and an excerpt.

Summary:

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Disappearing-Girl-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-disappearing-girl-heather-topham-wood/1116265018

Excerpt:

I had no idea how much time had passed while I stayed in the same position. The living room darkened, casting late-afternoon shadows across the wood flooring. I couldn’t move. Nothing could rouse me, not even the insistent ringing of the doorbell. My mother strode into the room, glaring at me, before answering the door.

“I’d say what a pleasant surprise, but we’d both know that was a lie,” she said. “She’s in the living room. Maybe you can talk some sense into her because I’m done with her melodrama.”

Heavy footsteps pounded in my direction. It took too much energy to lift my head, provoking me to stay still. A masculine growl grabbed my attention and I moved my head toward the disruption. My attention was captivated by a gorgeous set of deep blue eyes. They were filled with too many emotions for me to discern. Before I could prepare a response, a familiar pair of hands was lifting me off the loveseat. Faltering as my feet hit the ground; it took a moment for me to regain my bearings. When I came out of my stupor, I realized Cameron was standing before me.

My mother was behind him with her arms folded across her chest. They were staring at me expectantly, and it felt as if I was on trial and they were to be the ones to decide my fate. My lack of food and the sudden movement off the loveseat left me dizzy, and I grabbed the end table for balance.

I managed to croak out, “What are you doing here?”

Cameron stepped forward and cradled my face in his palms. “I was worried, Kayla. You hung up on me and then didn’t answer the phone. I thought something was wrong.”

“I’m sorry you wasted your time. As you can see, I’m perfectly all right,” I mumbled. I tried to take a step forward, but I stumbled again. Cameron pulled me toward him. Before I could react, I felt his hands slip under the edge of my sweatshirt and wrap around my waist.

I squirmed out of his grasp, but by the look on his face I could tell I was too late. Instead of addressing me, he spun on my mother. “Do you not see her? She’s been here a month. Have you bothered to look at her?”

My mother’s mouth hung open. Cameron didn’t wait for a reply. Instead, he crouched a little until his eyes were level with mine. “Babe, we’re leaving here. Let’s go pack your things. You can’t stay in this house anymore.”

He took me by the hand and led me toward the stairs. I flung his hand away. “What are you doing?”

“Kayla, you need help. I can feel the bones sticking out of your skin. I’ll be the asshole here if I have to, but I’m taking you to a doctor. This has gone on long enough.” He was practically snarling, and I could see a vein pulsing on his forehead. 

I dug in my heels as he tried to reach for me again. “Stop it Cameron! I’m not going anywhere. I’m not someone you need to save.” I narrowed my eyes before sneering,  “I’m not your mom.”

I had verbally punched him in the face. His jaw went slack and an angry flush colored his cheeks. “That was a really shitty thing to say. I’m going to chalk it up to you being sick and let it slide.” He spoke through clenched teeth.

“It’s true though, isn’t it? You couldn’t make her better and you can’t deal with it. Now, you’ve decided I need mending. You’re using me to make up for the things that happened to you as a kid. You couldn’t be a rescuer back then and you want the chance to be my knight in shining armor.”

I was a monster. His love for me was beautiful and I was twisting it into something hideous. I was trying to hurt him where I knew his deepest vulnerability lay. I wasn’t merely pushing Cameron away—I was attempting to hurl him into a black hole with the promise he would never return again.

The Disappearing Girl FAQS

Today I’m discussing my New Adult release The Disappearing Girl. Out of all my books, I get the most letters and questions regarding Kayla Marlowe’s struggles with an eating disorder. Here I provide some answers but BEWARE spoilers are posted.

What inspired you to write a book about eating disorders?

Eating disorders are a common problem that gets very little media attention. According to Anad.org, up to 24 million American suffer from an eating disorder with only 1 in 10 sufferers ever receiving treatment. Statistics also show that 95% of those who have an eating disorder are between the ages of 12 and 25.

Although you can find a handful of fiction books on eating disorders, I found many of them didn’t fully connect with me. I also hated that many of the books ended with one or more of the characters dying. Yes, you can die from anorexia and bulimia, but that’s not the only outcome. I had personal experience with an eating disorder and I wanted to translate those feelings I had in regards to food and weight onto the page.

Who did you model Kayla after?

Another thing I found bothersome about a handful of books I read was the unlikable main characters. Eating disorders can absolutely change your personality, but I couldn’t connect from the start with many of the characters. I wanted Kayla to come across as a normal college student who ends up succumbing to the pressures of losing weight.

What do you wish for readers to take away from The Disappearing Girl?

I really wanted to emphasize Kayla getting better on her own. Yes, Cameron inspired her recovery, but she walked away from the relationship to get treatment. I think it’s important to realize how important it is to rely on our own inner strength to get us through the hard times. Support is an important part of the process of recovery, but if Kayla went through treatment only for Cameron’s sake, she’d be more likely to repeat the same unhealthy patterns later on.

What would happen next for Kayla and Cameron? Will there be a sequel?

I wrote The Disappearing Girl as a standalone. If I did do a sequel, it wouldn’t be a story about Kayla relapsing. I just don’t want that future for her and although she would always be at risk for falling back into unhealthy habits, it was important to me as an author to give Kayla a HEA. If I did go ahead with a sequel, it would either by Lila’s (Kayla’s younger sister) story or a story featuring Cameron’s relationship with his birth mother.

What was the biggest challenge you faced writing the book?

Some of the things discussed in The Disappearing Girl can be triggering to people suffering from an eating disorder. There is talk of calories, beauty obsession and extreme dieting. Researching these things was hard for me. It brought back a lot of feelings I had tried to repress. As happy as I am about writing the novel, it was an emotional relief when I finished it.

ATOMR Tours Blog Tour for The Disappearing Girl and Giveaway

Today is the start of my ATOMR Tours blog tour for The Disappearing Girl! The following is the tour schedule, along with the Rafflecopter to win an eBook of the novel and/or a $30 Amazon Gift Card. Comment and follow the tour to take part in the contest!

Schedule

Monday, July 8, 2013:

A Dream within a Dream – Excerpt

Deep South Book Reviews – Excerpt

Donnie Darko Girl – Review

Nick's Book Blog – Excerpt

Wolfel's World of Books – Review

YA Books of Witchcraft and Wizardry – Review

Tuesday, July 9, 2013:

Peace, Love, Books – Review

Words, Pages, and Books – Review

Bound by Words – Spotlight

Wednesday, July 10, 2013:

A Diary of a Book Addict - Review

All in One Place – Review

Magic World of Books – Review

Reading Renee – Review

RoloPoloBookBlog – Review

The Busy Bibliophile - Review

Thursday, July 11, 2013:

Live Read and Breathe - Review

Friday, July 12, 2013:

Brianna Lee Book Reviews – Excerpt

Into the Night Reviews – Review

New Adult Addiction - Review

Saturday, July 13, 2013:

Book Crush – Review

Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom – Excerpt

DebDeb Reviews – Review

Faerie Tale Books – Review

Mind Reading? – Review

My Pathway to Books - Review

Vampandstuff –Promo Post

Lovin' Los Libros - Review

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The Disappearing Girl Is Free Today and Tomorrow!!!

Grab a free Kindle copy of The Disappearing Girl from Amazon.com today and tomorrow! Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Disappearing-Girl-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ

Blurb:

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

The Disappearing Girl Book Tour and $75 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

The Disappearing Girl is going on tour with Reading Addiction Blog Tours! Yesterday was the start of my month long tour. There will be giveaways, reviews, guest posts and interviews about my latest release at each of the stops. Best of all, you can enter here or on my Facebook page for a chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card!

Virtual Book Tour - May 27 - June 21

May 27 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet

May 28 - The Book Divas - Guest Post/PROMO

May 29 - Kindle Obsessed - Review

May 30 - Mama Knows Books - Promo

May 30 - Pink Fluffy Hearts - PROMO

May 31 - Hooked in a Book - Interview

June 1 - Simply Me - Review/Interview

June 2 - The Selkie Reads - Review/Guest Post

June 4 - My Cozie Corner- Review

June 4 - Paulette's Papers - Guest Post/PROMO

June 5 - Faerie Tale Books - Review/Guest Post

June 6 - A Bibliophile's Thoughts - Review

June 7 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - Interview/PROMO

June 8 - Busy Mom Book Reviews- Review

June 8 - Must Read Faster - PROMO

June 10 - Bean Counting Mommy - Review

June 12 - Romance Book Addict - Promo

June 13 - My Devotional Thoughts- PROMO

June 15 - Bookishly Devoted - Review

June 16 - The Muse Unleashed - Review

June 17 - Book Bunny's Burrow - Guest Post/PROMO

June 18 - Bianca2B - Review/Guest Post

June 19 - Noemi Betancourt - Review

June 20 - The Life and Lies of an Inanimate Object - PROMO

June 21 -RABT Reviews - Review

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Release Day!!! The Disappearing Girl Is Now Available

The Disappearing Girl is now live on Amazon.com!

Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/The-Disappearing-Girl-ebook/dp/B00CMR7GFQ/

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Disappearing-Girl-Heather-Topham-Wood/dp/1483906779/

Goodreads link for The Disappearing Girl: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17609789-the-disappearing-girl

The Disappearing Girl Pinterest Board: http://pinterest.com/woodtop255/the-disappearing-girl/

Summary:

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

Excerpt:

I began to lose pieces of myself over the winter break.


I had returned home from college to spend time with my mother and younger sister until the spring semester began in January. Christmas was a trying affair; only the second one our family had endured since my father died a year and a half earlier. His stocking still hung from the mantle, his armchair left empty while we opened gifts—and his ghost ever present.


My father’s death left my mother with a permanent scowl etched into her flawless features. My mother was beautiful in a way that made strangers assume she was a famous actress or a world-class model. Her hair was naturally dark with auburn highlights, and her eyes were the color of emeralds. Jaws dropped when it was revealed she was a housewife. Pitiful expressions betrayed their thoughts: what a waste of beauty.


My younger sister, Lila, and I were a disappointment to my mother because of our ordinariness. We both had straight brown hair and the same murky brown eyes as our father. No one stopped to compliment us on our stunning looks. Since middle school, boys would ask to come over to our house to glimpse my mother sunning in the backyard, clad in a skimpy bikini and rolled onto her back with the strings left untied. The boys’ eyes would volley between my mother, Lila, and me, their thoughts leaking into their expressions: a beautiful mother didn’t always guarantee a beautiful daughter.


Dad had always been our biggest advocate, shushing my mother’s criticisms and making outrageous claims about how Lila and I were the greatest beauties that ever graced the planet. I never realized how much of a buffer he was until he was gone.


I had my own personal countdown for when I’d be able to return to my college campus, because each day brought a new barrage of insults from my mom. I tried to sympathize; she was drowning in her own misery, but all I craved was an escape. My father was the one great love of her life and his death undermined her chance of ever being happy again. Although she ate up the attention other men gave her, my father was the only man that could melt her iciness. My father would tell us about how all the boys in their small hometown were too intimidated to ask my mom out on a date—the walls around her seemingly impenetrable. My dad may not have been the handsomest man to ever ask her out, but he was the most devoted and kind.

The Disappearing Girl Giveaways-Win an Advanced eBook Copy and Bookmark

I'm very excited to announce my giveaway for an advanced eBook copy of The Disappearing Girl! Ten lucky winners will receive an eBook (Kindle, ePub or PDF) of the Reader's Copy of my upcoming New Adult contemporary novel. If you live in the US, you can enter my second giveaway for a signed bookmark.

Book Description:
Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past.

New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.
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The Disappearing Girl Excerpt

Hey everyone! Today I'm sharing an excerpt from my upcoming The Disappearing Girl. I'm still going through edits, so keep in mind that this is a rough draft =) The book will be released in May. 

My form felt heavy as I got up from the sofa. If everyone claimed that I was so thin, why did I feel so weighed down? My feet shuffled behind Cameron as he led me over to the table.

The table was beautifully set. He had lit a single white taper candle and placed it between our place settings. A filled wine glass was next to a plate piled with steaming hot pasta smothered in marinara sauce with meatballs. Any girl would be thrilled to find that her boyfriend had gone to the trouble to be romantic. I was far from any girl.

I felt myself growing irate as I collapsed into the chair. I wasn’t sure why he couldn't understand that I was trying to avoid fatty foods. Instead of supporting my efforts, my friends and family seemed out to undermine everything I’d done to better myself.

Cameron ate silently for several minutes. My dinner lay untouched and I felt time slow down as I waited for him to finish. I wasn’t going to be bullied into eating when food was the last thing I wanted inside of my body.

His eyes turned cold as he stared at me. “What are you doing? Why haven’t you started eating?”

I was a petulant child. Refusing to eat, despite the promises the food in front of me would make me healthy again. I pressed my lips together in a tighter line and crossed my arms over my chest.

Cameron’s temper was building. I could feel the tension in the air. He was showing restraint when all he probably wanted to do was to scream at me for my irrational behavior. His voice was strained. “Kayla, you’ve been here all day and you haven’t eaten a thing…”

My expression was deadly as we locked gazes. “When the hell did it become everyone’s business whether or not I eat? Last time I checked, it was my body.”

I could tell what he was thinking by the way his features twisted. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t the quiet and meek girl he had been dating. This girl was bitter and wanted to unleash her rage on those around her.

Cover and Synopsis Reveal: The Disappearing Girl by Heather Topham Wood

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…

Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous obsession with losing weight begins.

Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.

Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he becomes desperate to save her.

Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of her past. 

Add on Goodreads: The Disappearing Girl

Coming May 2013

This book is sort of a passion project for me and very different than my paranormal works. I felt really inspired to share Kayla's story and I think a lot of people are going to relate to her struggles with her weight. I'll be posting excerpts and other goodies in preparation of the May release.