The Ugly Truth

By Jeffery Martin Botzenhart

When Candace looks in the mirror at her reflection, she sees what other people think of her. Having for so many years been ridiculed for her weight issues and hearing people tell her she’s not pretty, this is the ugly truth about herself that she accepts. What she never expects is to find love with someone who sees her in a different way.

Fisher, a blind, honorably discharged ex-marine, confesses his love to her. As much as she has longed for the attention of this handsome man, she worries that when he touches her, he’ll find out what others see and reject her. What she learns from him is that love is more than visual attraction. He sees her in different ways, not only encouraging her to see the truth about herself, but also the truth of others in her life.

The truth isn’t always ugly. At times it’s beautiful.

PUBLISHER NOTE: Contemporary, Inspirational, Rubenesque, M/F Romance. 10,500 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Luminosity Publishing LLP
• Release date: May 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463872475

Jeffery Martin Botzenhart

I was born on November 9, 1967 in Warren, Ohio and grew up in a country trailer park in Southington Ohio with my two brothers and parents.I currently live in Girard, Ohio with my wife and sons. After graduating from Chalker High School in 1986, I went on to attend Kent State University.Originally, I sought to pursue a degree in education, but changed degrees after a few years in school. After working my way through college for eight years, I graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations.Aside from writing, I also draw and paint. My other passion is soccer. I have proudly been a coach of a soccer team for autistic and special needs players.

Book preview

THE UGLY TRUTH

JEFFERY MARTIN BOTZENHART

Sometimes the truth is not pretty and sometimes it is.

When Candace looks in the mirror at her reflection, she sees what other people think of her. Having for so many years been ridiculed for her weight issues and hearing people tell her she’s not pretty, this is the ugly truth about herself that she accepts. What she never expects is to find love with someone who sees her in a different way.

Fisher, a blind, honorably discharged ex-marine, confesses his love to her. As much as she has longed for the attention of this handsome man, she worries that when he touches her, he’ll find out what others see and reject her. What she learns from him is that love is more than visual attraction. He sees her in different ways, not only encouraging her to see the truth about herself, but also the truth of others in her life.

The truth isn’t always ugly. At times it’s beautiful.

PUBLISHER NOTE: Contemporary, Inspirational, Rubenesque, M/F Romance. 10,500 words.

THE UGLY TRUTH

JEFFERY MARTIN BOTZENHART

WWW.LUMINOSITYPUBLISHING.COM

LUMINOSITY PUBLISHING LLP

THE UGLY TRUTH

Copyright © MAY 2020 JEFFERY MARTIN BOTZENHART

Cover Art by Poppy Designs

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this literary work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

FRIDAY

Swaying to the music from Heart’s classic rock song, Magic Man, sounding from her radio, Candace applied mascara to her long lashes and added shadow to her eyelids. Blush brushed on lightly, evened out her complexion. She dabbed a little perfume behind her ears, on her neck, and down her cleavage. The last of her cosmetic lies was the candy apple-red gloss she covered her supple lips with. Admiring her work in the mirror, she then sighed, realizing what a waste of time she’d just committed.

A black sequined beret crowned her thick, long, dark hair. It matched her black dress. She hoped the dark color would camouflage the imperfections of her plus-sized frame. Not being a surgically enhanced stick figure like the girls she worked within a Los Angeles accounting firm, Candace noticed their daily cruel stares and overheard not so subtle comments regarding her weight. Sometimes she’d seek refuge in the bathroom stall, where she’d cry her eyes out, too ashamed to face them. As bad as these women were, at times the men were worse. None wanted to date the fat girl in the office, a running joke between them.

Delaying her Friday evening out, Candace climbed through her open window to stand on the fire escape. She looked out over the Sunset Strip to the last gleaming rays of daylight. A warm breeze welcomed her as she stood there. Glancing down to the street below, the rituals of the night had already begun. Prostitutes had claimed their