April 2008
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 Word From Pat

Surprise! I'm almost on time with The QP this month! I can't believe it, myself!

I finally finished the paperwork for my permit to carry a concealed weapon. Now sometimes my husband, Joe, will say, when he's coming in the door, "It's me―don't shoot!"

This has been an interesting process. I had to get fingerprinted, which was the last step before the government can send my permit to me. I was expecting to have to put my fingers in ink like we've always done, but now the fingerprinting is done by computer.

The lady had a hard time getting my prints. Something to do with dark areas in my prints. I assured her my hands were clean! She said she had had a few other people come through with that kind of prints, but she didn't have any suggestions as to why.

Just proves, yet again, that I'm weird, I guess. My sister Ellen says that we three sisters are so different from most folks that if we were bats, we'd hang right side up in the cave.

I spent a wonderful day on Thursday, April 3, with my wonderful son, Eric, my beautiful daughter-in-law, Tiffany, and Shaun and Kayla, my precious grandchildren. We had my belated birthday "party." Because of Eric's work schedule, it's really hard to hit any "special day" on the exact day. They brought me flowers to plant in my flower garden. It was raining, so we took the kids to McDonald's for lunch so they could play indoors and work off some energy. It was a very good day. Joe was at work, so he didn't get in on the fun.

Spring is really in the air here in Nashville, TN. I come awake every morning, now, at around 4:30 to the sound of robins chirping. I have to put my pillow over my head to drown them out. They remind me of what my sister Jerri says: "Yeah, the early bird gets the worm, but all the early worm gets is eaten!"

Everyone have a great April.

                                                     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

I hope you all can watch this Claymation video. The voices are supposedly from people who were interviewed about their body image. Some of them are very self-accepting. But the answers are typical of what people say about themselves.

These animals are so  precious! I've watched it several times. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtk5qs3HvlI&feature=related 
 

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 R. Sweetwine on Amazon.com.

OK, let's be real. Authors rarely write books about normal size ladies. I have loads of buddies who don't want the run of the mill female lead in a book or, for that matter, movies. We are starved for a good well-written romance about a nice guy and a nice girl with curves, and I want my friends to read this book and just enjoy it. Don't try to over think it, just take a walk with two people looking for a place to be.

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.

Hear―and see―Pat on the air at Radio Free Nashville! Listen to or download the mp3 recording of Pat's March 31, 2008 guest appearance on the Health At Every Size show with Dr. Peggy Elam on WRFN Radio Free Nashville by going to http://www.healthateverysize.info/2008/03/march-31-2008-h.html.

Pat regularly guests on Radio Free Nashville's Health At Every Size show, which airs every Monday morning. She's usually in the studio on the fourth Monday of the month. The show is streamed live over the Internet 10-11 a.m. CST Mondays .

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. Davidson County, Tennessee residents can also hear the show live through the Secondary Audio Programming of Comcast cable's Channel 10.

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, including several with Pat, at www.pearlsong.com/audio.htm.

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.
 

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The Queen's Proclamation is published by Pearlsong Press.
P.O. Box 58065 │ Nashville, TN  37205  │ www.pearlsong.com
©2008 Pearlsong Press