July 2010
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....

Everything is in motion.
Everything flows.
Everything is vibrating.
Wayne Dyer

I like to think of myself as usually being an open-minded person when it comes to change and learning new ways. But I have to admit that I, Pat Ballard, can be a stubborn person. And on occasion can be dug-in, not-give-an-inch stubborn. In fact, my dad always referred to me as "his rebel."

But through the years I've learned, on rare occasions, to "just shut up and go with it." And when I do, there have been times that I've been pleasantly surprised by the results.

One example is when my husband, Joe, turned 50 years old and decided that he wanted to be a truck driver when he grew up. Now my husband in no way whatsoever fits my mental image of a truck driver. In fact, that would have probably been the last occupation I'd have chosen for him. But he was determined that he was going to try it.

So the entire time he was making plans to enroll in the required training program I was busily praying that this wouldn't happen. And the more I prayed, the more things fell into place for him. So finally I thought, "You know, something weird is going on here. This looks like it was meant to be. Maybe I just need to shut up and go with it."

So after he finished his training and got his CDL (Commercial Driver's License), he went to work for a company. And approximately two years later he decided to buy his own tractor and trailer so he could make more money. Then a couple of years after that, he bought 5 more trailers to rent to other drivers who didn't want to own their own.

And right along then his income was good enough that I got to quit my "day job" and write and "push" his music (he's also a singer/songwriter). I got to live my dream.

Since then I've had a few other occasions where I reminded myself to "just shut up and go with it," and had the same results.

Now I'm not suggesting that anyone "just shut up and go with" a situation that is totally wrong for you if and when you know it's wrong. Like staying in an abusive situation or allowing a situation to continue that is dangerous to you or a loved one.

But if you have something in your life that seems to be pushing you in a certain direction and you're fighting back, maybe you need to "just shut up and go with it!" That flow may be taking you places you've always wanted to go.
 

Something To Think About: Reflections on Life, Family, Body Image & Other Weighty Matters by the Queen of Rubenesque Romances

Download it for free at
http://www.pearlsong.com/newsroom/patballard/somethingtothinkabout.pdf.

                                Love,

                                         Pat

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

Click on the Bookbuzzr graphic (if visible on your computer screen) to browse an excerpt from Pat's 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.)

You can also browse and share Bookbuzzr excerpts from 10 Steps to Loving Your Body, Something to Think About and Pat's other books online at http://www.pearlsong.com/patballardbookexcerpts.htm.
 

Weighty Matters

HUGE is a new TV show on the ABC Family channel. It has started out to have a really good message. I'm recommending it and hope that it will continue to be "size positive." According to the reviews I've read, it will.

The show is about a group of fat teenagers who are at Camp Victory to lose weight. But the main character, played by Nikki Blonsky, who also starred in Hairspray a couple of years ago, doesn't want to lose weight, so she rebels. It has good potential to bring out the Health At Every Size angle. Hopefully, it will.

The show airs on Monday nights at 8:00 PM Central time, or you can watch the show's episodes on your computer (online) at the ABC Family website:
http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/huge .

Or go directly to this link and the 1st episode will start:
http://abcfamily.go.com/watch/huge/SH5547501/VD5573686/hello-i-must-be-going

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 comment about Pat's books was posted by Barbara Chabot at the Bookbuzzr website at www.freado.com: "I love reading these novels and stories! They are about real women in a world that is ever changing! Thank you, I have really enjoyed your books so far and look forward to more in the future!"
 

Browse and share excerpts from Pat Ballard's books online.

Listen to the mp3 recording of Pat, her fearless publisher, and several other Pearlsong Press authors in a Pearlsong Conversation about
creating fat friendly fiction and fat positive characters.

Listen to a Feb. 11, 2009 Conversation with Pat Ballard
(blog post with link to 50-min mp3 recording of Pat talking about her journey to
self- and body-acceptance and -love, her writing process,
and why a truly Happy Valentine's Day and satisfying sex life
starts with loving your body,
no matter what it looks like.
 

Calendar of Events

July 10, 2010 2-4 p.m—Pat will be at the Williamson County Library in Franklin, TN talking about body image, her romance novels and 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are).

Now available from Pearlsong Press—Pat's newest book, the nonfiction Something to Think About: Reflections on Life, Family, Body Image, & Other Weighty Matters by the Queen of Rubenesque Romances. It's a FREE PDF ebook that can be downloaded at http://www.pearlsong.com/somethingtothinkabout.htm or via the link at the beginning of this newsletter.

Pat is now co-hosting Radio Free Nashville's Health At Every Size show, which airs every Monday morning. The show is streamed live over the Internet 10-11 a.m. CST Mondays. You can also subscribe to the podcast of the show. Go to http://www.healthateverysize.info for more info, including archived recordings, or to subscribe.

You can also listen to or download recordings of many of the shows at www.pearlsong.com/audio.htm.
 

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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