February 2005

News, updates, & pronouncements from Pat Ballard, the Queen of Rubenesque Romances

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. 
Eleanor Roosevelt

Something to think about....

....A simple I love you means more than money....
Frank Sinatra

As Valentine's Day approaches, all our minds are on love, so I'm sending you the lyrics to my very favorite Billy Joel song.

This is one of my all-time favorite songs, because we all need to have someone who loves us "Just The Way We Are."
 

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Billy Joel

Don't go changing, to try and please me
You never let me down before
Don't imagine you're too familiar
And I don't see you anymore
I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble
We never could have come this far
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times
I'll take you just the way you are

Don't go trying some new fashion
Don't change the color of your hair
You always have my unspoken passion
Although I might not seem to care

I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take 'till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you.

I said I love you, and that's forever
And this I promise from the heart
I could not love you any better
I love you just the way you are.
 

Wow! That just makes me all mushy!

Everyone have a wonderful VALENTINE'S DAY!!
 

 A Word From Pat

First, let me apologize that the newsletter is late. But I've about fried my brain trying to change over to a new computer.

Joe, who almost never gets on a computer, is absolutely wonderful about keeping me upgraded. And while I do appreciate it—especially since I've already "filled up" the one we got in 2000—I get cold chills when he starts talking about upgrading. Because that means I get to make all the changes.

This time, we decided to use something new. We bought a PC Replacement Suite. It "migrates" (I call it "syphons" or "squirts") all the "stuff" from the old computer to the new one, so that a person doesn't have to save everything to a disc, then reload it. Well…it really is quite wonderful once one figures out how to do it. I've never claimed to be a computer tech, so these things don't always come easy for me. But I enjoy making my brain learn new things, even if I do look —and feel—like a monkey with a bright new toy.

Excuse me. I have to go put a cold cloth on my brain.

                                                 Love,

                                                                    Pat
 

Visit Pat's Place at www.patballard.com │ Write me at patballard@bellsouth.net

Books — Existing and Upcoming

Abigail's Revenge, my fifth novel, is now finished! It's a Romantic Suspense, and is different than any other novel I've written. It's also a good bit longer.

Abigail Avery was framed for the murder of her father and sent to prison when she was only eighteen years old. A bunch of crooked "good ole boys" from her hometown of Leaky Springs, Mississippi want her land and house. Abigail doesn't have any idea why they would want her property. But they were willing to kill for it and send her to prison, hoping to get her out of the way long enough to convince her to sell or to acquire it in some other manner. But now, ten years later, Abigail's out of prison and heading back to Leaky Springs to get revenge on the people, especially the judge, who stole ten years of her life.

And now that I'm finished with Abigail's Revenge, I'm going to finish my first nonfiction book, The 10 Commandments of Self-Love, a motivational book on accepting ourselves as we are instead of obsessing over trying to look like some unrealistic actress or image we see in an magazine.

Meanwhile, my new book Dangerous Curves Ahead—a compilation of 10 short stories—is available through my new publisher, Pearlsong Press (www.pearlsong.com). After its May 2004 publication, Dangerous Curves Ahead received a glowing review from Cindi Appel on the Fearless Books review website. Appel wrote:

Ballard doesn’t pull punches. She shows her heroines exhibiting ample will and tenacity to tell off those who would shame them into becoming something they aren’t just to blend in with society's narrow-minded notions of beauty.

To read the entire review, go to www.pearlsong.com/dangerouscurvesahead.htm. You can also read an excerpt from Dangerous Curves Ahead's title story, Dangerous Curves, by clicking on the title link in this sentence.

Pearlsong Press has also re-released my existing books, Wanted: One Groom, Nobody’s Perfect, His Brother’s Child and A Worthy Heir.

The Pearlsong Press edition of Nobody's Perfect was called "a charming, witty love story with a twist" in the July 2004 Small Press Bookwatch section of Midwest Book Review. Read the whole review at www.pearlsong.com/nobodysperfect.htm, or an excerpt at
www.pearlsong.com/nobodys_excerpt.htm.

I’m extremely happy that my books are now available in both print and eBook format. Please visit Pearlsong Press and check out all the options that are available.
 

Ask your local  library to stock my books, allowing many others to enjoy them
while spreading the size acceptance message.
 

Weighty Matters

We the Educators

This is the fourth of several stories I will share with you in this series of "We the Educators," regarding our responsibility to speak up and say something to people who insist on promoting the "fat is bad" mentality.

A few years ago, when I worked in the alterations department at Opryland Hotel, I attended one of the hotel's employee talent shows. Between each act, the emcee—a guy in upper management—would tell a few jokes. And sure enough, not long into the program, he started a typical "fat aunt" joke.

Since I worked in the alterations department, basically every employee who wore a uniform knew me. And a lot of them knew how I felt/feel about weighty issues.

The night of the talent show, I did something I'd never done before. When the emcee said, "I have an aunt that is so fat…"

I quietly said, "Booooo."

This probably surprised me as much as it did my friends, who sat around me. We were pretty close to the stage and this was, after all, upper management I was booing. But I said it again, a little louder: "Boooo." And a few voices joined me.

"I've got an aunt that is so fat," he tried again.

"Booooooo," I said more loudly, and the group of voices that joined me grew.

He tried the third time to tell his joke, but by now, enough of the audience had joined me that he raised his hands and said, "Okay, I get the message," and he went on to his next joke. His fat aunt joke never got told.

And none of us got fired!

Don't be afraid to let your voice be heard regarding anything you feel strongly about.
 

Calendar Of Events

Be sure to check  my website (www.patballard.com) and listen to the two recorded radio interviews that I did with Veronica on WCRS Radio. Even though the second show is dated Jan. 16-21, you can still hear it.

And check out the photos from the Nov. 6 Mississippi Authors Festival that are now online at The Queen's Proclamation blog and The Pearlsong Letter blog. (Click on the Mississippi Authors Festival Link under the "Photo Albums" heading in the lefthand column of either blog to view the photos.)
 

Book Contest

Register to win a free copy of the Pat Ballard book of your choice at Top 100 Women Sites: http://www.top100womensites.com/contest.htm.
 

Read previous issues of The Queen's Proclamation at http://www.pearlsong.com/newsletterarchives.htm.

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The Queen's Proclamation is published by Pearlsong Press, Inc.

P.O. Box 58065 │ Nashville, TN  37205  │ www.pearlsong.com

©2005 Pearlsong Press