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In this Fat Forward Books exclusive interview, Samantha Puc talks with author Denise Williams about her new contemporary romance, Just Our Luck, which character in her portfolio is the most like her, and how grounding her books in reality includes creating full lives for all of her characters, no matter how small their roles.

Denise Williams wrote her first book in the 2nd grade. I Hate You and its sequel, I Still Hate You, featured a tough, funny heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter, and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write. After penning those early works, she finished second grade and eventually earned a PhD in education.

Denise's work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Women's World, and her mom's list of top topics of conversation with strangers. Her books have been listed as an Indie Next pick, Library Reads pick and Hall of Fame author, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. 

After growing up a military brat around the world and across the country, Denise now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, and an ornery shih-tzus who thinks she owns the house. She can usually be found reading, writing, or thinking about love stories.

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BUY JUST OUR LUCK BY DENISE WILLIAMS
Bookshop → https://bookshop.org/a/9129/9780593641439
Amazon → https://amzn.to/45bRqq4

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In Conversation with Denise Williams

Fat Forward Books in Conversation with Denise Williams

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Fat Forward Books is Samantha Puc's Bindery tastemaker page, celebrating books by fat authors and about fat experiences, across every genre and age group. Follow and subscribe for reviews, author interviews, book news, and more. 

Samantha Puc (she/they) is a fat, disabled, lesbian writer and editor whose work focuses primarily on LGBTQ+ and fat representation in pop culture. They are an Eisner Award-nominated journalist and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic with bylines at The Beat, Publishers Weekly, Yes! Magazine, Polygon, and elsewhere. Samantha is the founder of Fat Forward Books, Community Voices Blog Editor at NAAFA, and a contributor to the award-winning Fat and Queer: An Anthology of Queer and Trans Bodies and Lives. They graduated in 2025 with a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction from The New School. When Samantha is not working or writing, she loves spending time with her cats, reading, and perfecting her grilled cheese recipe.

Celebrating books by fat authors and about fat experiences, across every genre and age group.
Run by Samantha Puc (She/They). Avatar by Jess Lome.