February 2009
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....

As children, most of us are taught how we're supposed to act, what we're supposed to believe, who we're supposed to associate with and even how we're supposed to think. We're taught this by our parents/guardians, our schools, our colleges and our churches.

Now basically this isn't a bad thing, because children need guidance, direction, and rules. But it's my belief that while we're being given all this guidance, most of us aren't taught as children that it's okay to think our own thoughts occasionally. To look at things a little differently than what's being taught.

So we grow into adulthood trained to only think what we're told to think.

"What would my parents think if I did this?"

"How does "my" church feel about this?"

"Oh, but I was taught in college to believe this and I have to believe it because my very intelligent professor(s) said it is the "truth".

"Why, my father and his father were 'Republicans,' 'Baptists,' 'atheists,' '________' [you fill in the blank], and that's just good enough for me!"

"The media says 'so and so' so that has to be right. Why, those good reporters would never tell us something that isn't factual."

"And if there's anyone on Earth that knows more than me it's my doctor! I have to listen to everything he says!"

We go through our days with our trained life-filters on, and it's so hard to break through these built-in thinking patterns and say, "Wait a minute. I'm going to open my mind to possibilities and think this situation through for myself. Maybe things aren't exactly like they say they are." But with some practice and determination, you can learn to think for yourself.

Never be afraid to look at life through your own eyes and your own heart.
 

A Word From Pat

I had the joy of keeping my two grandkids, Shaun and Kayla, this weekend. The weather was beautiful! Sunday the temperature was in the upper 60s, so we played outside most of the day. 

One of their favorite things to do is for me to sit on the end of the picnic table bench and push Kayla in the swing and pitch the ball for Shaun to bat―at the same time. We have this down to a science. Push, pitch, push, catch, push, pitch―okay, you get the idea.

Another favorite game is to blow bubbles. I keep a good supply of bubble solution and bubble-blowing wands on hand. So on a "good wind" day we can dip the wands in the bubbles and the wind will make millions of bubbles! Well, maybe not millions, but a lot. They love for me to keep the bubbles in the air while they chase them. Sometimes this requires me doing a double-handed wand-swinging bubble-blowing routine.

Needless to say, all the above activities give me a good upper body workout. I'm a little sore today, but in a good way.

Peggy Elam, founder & president of Pearlsong Press, my publisher, has had an extremely busy past few days. All of my fiction books are now formatted in Mobipocket eBook format.  To check them out, just follow this link: http://www.mobipocket.com/EN/eBooks/PublisherDetails.asp?Language=EN&PublisherId=5177&Name=Pearlsong+Press

I did my latest radio show with Peggy on Jan. 26th. You can listen directly by clicking on this link:  http://www.pearlsong.com/audio/2009/HAES01262009.mp3.

Or go to http://www.healthateverysize.info/ and explore some of the surrounding information about the show, and also listen.

On Feb.11th, at 12:00 noon until 1:00 pm EST (11 am to noon CST), I'll be doing a teleconference, a "Pearlsong Conversation." If you would like to be a part of this conversation, the phone number is 712-775-7000 and the access code is 555092#. Just call the number and you'll be directed as to when to put in the access code. It's very easy.

Keep in mind that this will be treated like any long distance phone call, so if you don't have unlimited phone calling, etc. your usual long distance toll will apply. But otherwise, there's no fee to participate.

Participation in the Pearlsong Conversation is on a first come, first served basis and the number of total participants is limited to 96. You can read more about this new series of teleconference calls at http://www.pearlsong.com/pearlsongconversations.htm.

I'd love to chat with you all!

Everyone have a wonderful February.

                                                     Love,

                                                                    Pat

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

New from Pearlsong Press:
Pat's first nonfiction book,
10 Steps to Loving Your Body
(No Matter What Size You Are)

As a young woman Pat Ballard almost died trying to starve her body into a societally approved size. In 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are) she shares the steps she created―and took―to heal the damage of years of dieting. Join her in celebrating size diversity, self esteem, positive body image, and health at every size.

Your body is a unique work of art.
There never has been, nor will there ever be,
another body just like yours.
Learn to love it and it will love you back.

More info at the Pearlsong Press website. (All copies of 10 Steps purchased from the Pearlsong Press website are autographed by Pat.)

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

A few questions to ask yourself.

1. Do you know a naturally fat person who has gone on a diet and kept the weight off? I don't know of anyone.

2. Of all the people you know who have had some kind of heart problems, how many of them are fat? What is the ratio? More fat, more slim or more average? I only know of one fat person who has had heart problems. The rest have been slim or average.

3. Who would you rather be around―someone who is constantly obsessing over what they can or can't eat, or someone who is happy with themselves and enjoys life?

4. If you're dieting at the present, who are you doing it for? Yourself? Your spouse? To impress your friends? Why?

5. Would you be willing to starve yourself day in and day out if you knew it would only add 2 to 5 years to your life? That's all that is promised by the so called "experts" who scream that we need to lose weight if we want to live longer.

So you can be hungry and miserable until you die, or eat, drink and be merry and just die 2 years younger. Hmmm. Let me think about this...          

The reasons are unclear, but obesity can shave 3 to 4 years off your life, says Robert Butler, MD, president of the nonprofit International Longevity Center-USA, an affiliate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.    
      
http://living.health.com/2008/02/25/simple-ways-to-add-years-to-your-life/

[Ed. Note: There is no clearly established link between weight and mortality. Other research indicates that "overweight" people actually live longer than "normal weight" people.]

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. 

The following review of 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are) was posted on the Amazon.com website by Judith Matz, author of The Diet Survivor's Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance & Self-Care.

As a therapist, I know that the toughest part for most women in their journey to make peace with food is learning how to build a better body image. 10 Steps to Loving Your Body is a fabulous resource for doing just that. Author Pat Ballard offers her own wisdom, along with inspirational quotes from people such as Gilda Radner and Wayne Dyer. One of my favorites: "Begin challenging your assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile or the light won't come in." (Alan Alda)

If you are struggling with weight/body image issues, keep this book on your nightstand or in your purse, and open its pages often. It will be like having a kind and gentle best friend with you who wants what's best for you and knows how to help you get there.
 

Read an interview with Pat at The F-word (Food. Fat. Feminism.) blog.

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 (and first nonfiction) book, 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are).

See http://www.pearlsong.com/10steps.htm to order. All copies purchased directly from the Pearlsong Press website will be autographed by the author.

Hear Pat on the air at Radio Free Nashville! Listen to or download the mp3 recording of Pat's January 26, 2009 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/2009/01/january-26-2009-health-at-every-size-radio-show-featuring-author-pat-ballard.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. You can also now subscribe to the podcast of the show (automatically receive the mp3 recordings of the weekly shows on your computer, iPod or mp3 player) via iTunes. Click on the "subscribe in a reader" button/link in the upper lefthand column, and select "Add to iTunes" or the podcatcher of your choice.

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.  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!
 

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

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