The Queen's Proclamation

 

 

 

September 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....

I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper.
Then I look at the obituary page.
If my name is not on it, I get up.

Benjamin Franklin


I get Google alerts with "Pat Ballard" on them so I can keep up with websites that have done something with my books, etc.

When I opened my Google alert yesterday, September 7, the first thing I saw was "Patricia Pat Ballard's Obituary for 7th September 2010." Now if you don't think that will make you stop and stare at the computer screen, think again!

It really is a shocking experience to see it in black and white. Thank goodness this "Pat Ballard" was 91 years old and lived far, far away, so I pretty much knew it wasn't me.

But it got me to thinking about my own obituary and what I would want on it. And if what I would want on it are really the important things of life.

Like most people, I would want those last accolades out there so everyone could see what a wonderfully successful person I had been. I would want it to say that I had lived to be 120 years old and still didn't look a day over 70! I would want it to say that I had written more than 50 books and had realized a successful life as an author. Oh, and I would want it to say many, many more wonderful things like that.

So what? Who would really care about that except me? And at that point, I wouldn't even care anymore.

What I should want my obituary to say is that "She was kind and loving. She always had time to listen to other people's problems. Or would take time to laugh with a friend. She was never too busy to stop and help someone who needed a hand. She was forgiving of what she perceived to be other people's faults. And she will always be remembered for trying to make people feel better about life."

But what I would want or what I should want on my obituary are, hopefully, a long, long way off. So I have time to improve on either of them.

What would you want on your obituary?

 

Hi everyone!
 
Am I the only one who is happy September is here? And that soon October will be here? This has been a very hot summer in Nashville. Not a record-breaking hot summer, but a hot one just the same.

I sincerely hope that all of you who love summer and the summer heat have had a fun, enjoyable summer. I know that a lot of you are sorry to see it come to an end.

Me? I'm doing the happy dance!

Husband Joe and I went to Mississippi for the Labor Day weekend. My brother, Steve, has an older camper that he said he'd sell us to put on a few undeveloped acres we have there that are part of the original home place. We looked but decided that it needed a little more work than we wanted to do on our fast trips there. So no camper, yet.

I've had a busy summer. I'm almost finished with my latest romance novel. I don't have a title for it yet. This is the first book I've written that I didn't know the title up front. Although I do have a title that I'm going to run by Peggy, my publisher. She's been threatening to stand over me with a stick and hurry me up to get the book finished.

I hope that by the next time I write, it will be done.
 
Everyone have a wonderful September.
 
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

I hate the words "obese" and "obesity." They've been made to sound like hate words, and that's how they're used today. When you hear the term "obese," there's never a positive spin on the word. You always know that the message following the word will be "bad news."

So I've decided to take those words away from the fat-fearmongers and turn them into a positive thing. In fact, I'm thinking about putting these on T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, etc. And I will add others.

One
Body
Embracing
Self-acceptance
Every day

One
Body
Enjoying
Self-acceptance
Individually
Totally
Youthfully

Reader Review of the Month

Editor's Note: Post a review of one of Pat's books
at an online bookstore, magazine, or public website, email us at proclamation @ pearlsong.com to let us know, and we'll consider your review for inclusion in The QP

The following comment about Pat's books was sent via email by Nicky:

"I recently came across your books on Amazon and fell in love! I bought and read all of them in about a week. Although it's SO hard trying to pick a favorite, mine is a three way tie between
Wanted: One Groom, A Worthy Heir and Abigail's Revenge. All the heroes are dreams! Do you have any new work or plan on writing any more plus-size romance? I'm sure you have heard this before, but being a single plus size young woman, your books gave me hope and a new sense of self confidence.....Thank you for writing such great stories."

 


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

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!

 

Newsletter Archives

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

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