The Queen's Proclamation

 

 

 

March 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....

A SURE SIGN OF SPRING
by
Pat Ballard

Dressed up in his old clothes,
cap on and old shoes half tied,
he gave me a wet kiss
and bolted outside.
The whole world was brand new,
a new day to explore,
checking caterpillars and grasshoppers,
and running in and out the door.
He caught bees in a jar,
and a lizard or two,
got a scratch on his knee,
and fussed at a butterfly that flew.
He ate cookies and milk on the steps,
and accidentally broke the glass;
then he looked for ants
that crawled through the grass.
He came in for his nap,
tired from all his deeds,
and clutched in his grimy hands
was my first bouquet of weeds!

Most of us moms know that when we get our first bouquet of weeds it's spring! And spring is just around the corner, so all you moms who still have little boys and girls, start looking for those beautiful bouquets of bitterweeds or some other foul-smelling weed.
 
And when you get it, smile at that little girl or boy and pretend that it's the most beautiful bouquet you've ever received. Because before you can blink an eye those little ones will be grown and have a life of their own.

I wrote this poem for my son, Eric, when he was around four years old. That was 27 years ago, but most of the time it seems like only yesterday.

I still get flowers from him in the spring. My birthday is in March, and it's our tradition that for my birthday and for Mother's Day he buys me flowers I can plant in my yard.
 

 A Word From Pat

Wow! February has been a whirlwind!

My husband and I recently made the decision that we needed to move from the house we've been in for fifteen years. It's a hard decision to make, since we're just now getting the house like we want it, but we've decided that we need to do this. So we've spent the past two weekends looking at potential neighborhoods. I'm having real mixed emotions about this.

Then on a sudden impulse my sister Jerri, who lives in California, decided to visit, so she'll be here March 1 and we'll head to Mississippi to see our sister Ellen and visit other family members.

As a result of one of my "infamous" letters to the editor of the daily newspaper, I was invited to be a guest on a local TV show. So I did the taping on the last Thursday in February. That was a new and exciting experience for me, even though it's a very small TV station with a limited viewing audience.

And last but most definitely not least, in the past month my publisher, Peggy Elam, decided to hasten the publishing date of my new book, The Best Man, so it will be out by May 6, International No Diet Day. I'm totally excited about that!

There's more, but I'll stop for now.

Everyone have a wonderful March!

                                                Love,

                                                                    Pat

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

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

Western society is obsessed with body image. Women want to be thinner; men want to be more muscular. In the article below from the BBC website, Dr. Sandra Scott suggests that we need to be comfortable with the shape we are and stop chasing unattainable ideals.

You're more than your image

Many people ignore the fact that the idealised body images that surround them are just that—idealised—and actually unattainable for most of us. This means they find themselves on a relentless pursuit of the elusive perfect figure—which just leaves them chronically dissatisfied with their appearance. This can lead to poor self-esteem and a lack of confidence.

It helps to put the whole issue into perspective, remembering you're not alone. The vast majority of people don't have (and won't ever have) these perfect bodies either, but what does that really mean? The truth is that it doesn't actually mean you can't have the positive things we associate with these images. This is a fallacy that started in Hollywood —and it should remain there.

The biggest myth is you can't be considered physically attractive without fitting into this mould. There are many ways to be attractive beyond the stereotype. It's certainly not always the best looking person that gets the girl or guy.

Most of us are much more likely to talk and get to know somebody who is friendly and approachable rather than a more physically attractive self-centred person. Our personality and behaviour count for a lot. We need to accept ourselves for who we are and what we're meant to look like. Our aim should be to be the best and healthiest we can—we need to realise that this is the "perfect" us.

Read the rest of the article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/improving_your_confidence/feature_bodyimage.shtml
 

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 Nobody's Perfect was posted by Suzanne Coleburn, The Belles and Beaux of Romance.

NOBODY’S PERFECT is a great love story about a plus size heroine with a heart as big as Texas, and a wealthy man who never thought he’d be attracted to a large woman. He just needs a mother for his son. Man or man, was he ever wrong! You are gonna love this one!

Nella Covington can’t believe she agreed to marry Sam du Cannon after he proposes a marriage of convenience so he can keep his in-laws from getting custody of his son Jake. Nella was between a rock and a hard place since her father died hiding his true financial means from her. Now Sam wants to buy her beachfront home, which she was going to sell, for the three of them to live in. Sam is used to being in charge and is very domineering and very up-front with Nella about their marriage arrangements. Nella falls in love with the precious Jake and will do what she has to to make the marriage work.

Sam doesn’t have a good track record where women are concerned, and he doesn’t want to get involved with any women for the rest of his life. Only Sam never counted on meeting someone quite like Nella. She is a gem of a woman and does some pretty amazing things when the need arises. I really liked Sam, too, after Nella starts melting the ice around his heart.

There are some memorable scenes in this book that really warmed me inside and out. Ms. Ballard has a wonderful way with words, and she has to be a pretty neat person herself to write such a loving book that makes you believe you can be anything you want to be when you are true to yourself.

I loved this book, and I think you will, too.

Little Jake is another heartbreaker of a kid who is so wise and wonderful that you just want to give him a big smooch! There are some characters in this book whose necks you'd like to wring. <Smile> While there are others you want to give a big hug.

NOBODY’S PERFECT is a fun fast read that will put a huge smile on your face when you finish the last page.

Suzanne "I Wanna Build a Snowman with Nella, Sam and Jake!" Coleburn

"Pat Ballard is a new find. I love her books and her ideas about being a plus size woman. Ms. Ballard is a writer that writes her heart out and makes you happy you picked up NOBODY’S PERFECT. Being a full-figured woman can be beautiful!"

Suzanne Coleburn, The Belles and Beaux of Romance

 

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 newest book, 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

Coming soon—Pat's latest Romantic Suspense, The Best Man.

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 Jan. 22, 2007 guest spot on the show at http://www.pearlsong.com/audio/HAES01222007.mp3. (Right click on the link & "save as" to download.)

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

To listen through your cell phone or any other phone (home, office, etc.), simply call 646-213-0005. After the prompt, enter the Radio Free Nashville code―9989―with your keypad. Listen and enjoy!

There is no charge for listening through your phone, and you don't have to register your phone with the service (as was necessary for the previous phone-streaming provider, Mobile Broadcast Network). Your usual long distance and/or cell phone charges will apply, however.

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 Abigail's Revenge. 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.
 
Newsletter Archives

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