June 2007
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....

I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb...
and I also know that I'm not blonde.
Dolly Parton

I've always been a big fan of Dolly Parton's because, in spite of her fame, she's remained "real" and down-to-earth. She's never seemed to lose sight of her roots. And I think this quote gives us an insight to why that may be.

When you know who you are, and are happy with that, other people's words or jokes don't strike home and hurt as badly.
 

A Word From Pat

I've had a fun, family-filled month of June. We've been to several of our our grandson Shaun's baseball games, and celebrated his 7th birthday last weekend. This weekend I/we kept our four-year-old granddaughter, Kayla. So I've had my "family fix" more than usual, and loved every minute of it.

As we all know, it's so much fun to watch children grow and develop in their own, individual way. It's such a mystery to look at them and wonder what is already "prewired" in those little heads, and how will it all turn out. While the burden does fall on the adults to do all we can to teach, train, and influence them, there still comes the time when they'll take what they've been taught and make the decision on how to use it.

We're finally getting some much needed rain. My flower garden isn't looking as good as I would like for it to, but I have to remind myself that I have the rest of the summer to fill it up. Joe and I are collecting wildflowers that grow along the side of country roads to put in the garden. My theory is that if these flowers will survive and grow in the wild with no help, surely I can't kill them!

Everyone have a happy July.

                                               Love,

                                                                    Pat

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

New from Pearlsong Press:
Pat's new Romantic Suspense novel,
The Best Man

Sparks fly the night Lana Clarke meets to plan her sister's wedding―and not just because curvaceous Lana announces she's stopped dieting and doesn't care if she's fat as maid of honor.

The strong-willed sister of the bride attracts the attention of the groom's devastatingly handsome best man, Anthony Angelino. But when the sparks become flames, Lana's in trouble.

Tony's first wife died mysteriously. Will Lana be next?


Read an excerpt online  | More info at the Pearlsong Press website.

Links About The Queen & Her Books

Pat's Place website
The Queen's Blog
About Pat Ballard
Dangerous Curves Ahead
The Best Man
Abigail's Revenge
Wanted: One Groom
Nobody's Perfect
His Brother's Child
A Worthy Heir
Pearlsong Press blog posts about Pat

Weighty Matters

There are a couple of positive things in the weight acceptance movement that I wanted to share with you. The first link that I'm adding below is a video of Mika performing his song "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)." I hope you all get as big a kick out of this as I did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRiXOONqf0

And the next link is to a new remake of an older movie and play that will be out soon, Hairspray. It's set in the '60s and is about a plus-size girl who has always loved to dance, but feels unsure because of her weight. I think it's going to be a good movie with a good message because it has Queen Latifah in it. I don't understand why they had to use John Travolta as the mother instead of a "real" plus-size mom, but that may be relayed in the story. (I don't know because I've never seen the play or movie.)

http://www.hairspraymovie.com

I'm always encouraged when I see these size-positive things appear.
 

Reader Review of the Month

Editor's Note: We're now featuring reader reviews of Pat's books in The Queen's Proclamation. Post a review at an online bookstore, magazine, or public website and email us at proclamation @ pearlsong.com to let us know, and we'll consider yours for inclusion in The QP. 

This month's Reader Review of Wanted: One Groom was posted by Alisa Grudza of Frankston, Texas on Amazon.com.

Pat Ballard has a flair for writing. Wanted: One Groom is like no other I have read. A beautiful and passionate love story. With mystery and humor that would not let me put it down. I found myself reading it faster and faster, from cover to cover without stopping. Everyone I have told about this book has read it and given it an A+. Ready for a sequel! Keep up the flair.
 

Communicate with Pat via her "Amazon Connect" blog on Amazon.com!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/id/AC8LT66HFJQ1Y/ref=cm_blog_blog/102-0429066-5275365

Pat's romantic suspense novel Abigail's Revenge is featured on the Beautiful Portal website: http://www.beautifulportal.com/news.php?item.900034.8
and has been reviewed by AmaZe eMag: http://www.venusimaging.com/Magazine/2005/decjanrealistic/jennifer.htm

 An article on Pat has been posted at:
http://eastmanpublishing.com/epextra/articles/eparticle1007.htm.
And an EP Extra review of Abigail's Revenge is posted at
http://eastmanpublishing.com/epextra/articles/eparticle1011.htm 

Look for an interview with Pat on Lonnie Cruse's blog at
http://www.lonniecruse.blogspot.com.

Calendar of Events

New from Pearlsong Press—Pat's latest Romantic Suspense, The Best Man.

See http://www.pearlsong.com/thebestman.htm to order. Read an excerpt online at http://www.pearlsong.com/thebestmanexcerpt.htm.

Pat regularly guests on the Health At Every Size show with Dr. Peggy Elam on WRFN Radio Free Nashville. Check the show blog at http://www.healthateverysize.info for mentions of Pat's next guest appearance. The show is streamed live over the Internet 10-11 a.m. CST Mondays and now can also be listened to live over your phone via UPSNAP.COM.

Listen to or download the mp3 recording of Pat's April 23, 2007 guest spot on the show at http://www.pearlsong.com/audio/HAES04232007.mp3. (Right click on the link & "save as" to download.)

Listen to the live broadcasts over the Internet at http://www.radiofreenashville.org/.

You can also listen to the live broadcasts through your telephone via UPSNAP.COM. It's free for wireless internet enabled phones, but there's a small monthly charge for other phones. See the Health At Every Size show website or the Radio Free Nashville website for details.

For more on the show, check out the show blog at http://www.healthateverysize.info. You can also listen to or download recordings of some of the shows at www.pearlsong.com/audio.htm.

Pat will spend the next few months promoting The Best Man. She's in the process of setting up booksignings with local Borders bookstores, and others.

You can still hear the taped radio shows from Size Matters with Veronica, WCRS Radio, on Pat's website.

Show #1 discusses Pat's romance novels
http://www.wcrsradio.org/RadioStage/size/SIZE051.mp3

Show #2 discusses women of size and their sexuality
http://www.wcrsradio.org/RadioStage/size/SIZE052.mp3

And check out the photos from the Nov. 6, 2004 Mississippi Authors Festival that are 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.) While you're visiting, post a comment on the blog!
 

Give someone a good read as well as support in loving themselves.
Pat's books make great gifts!
 

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.
 

The Queen's Proclamation is published by Pearlsong Press.
P.O. Box 58065 │ Nashville, TN  37205  │ www.pearlsong.com
©2007 Pearlsong Press