January 2011
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 get really excited at the beginning of each new year. I have a new lease on life! Now's my chance to get done a few things that I didn't get done the year before, or to decide if I even want to do those things or just move on. It's a chance to start new projects and to set deadlines to get them done.

I'm not talking New Year's Resolutions. I don't do New Year's Resolutions. In my opinion, New Year's Resolutions are just ways for us to put pressure on ourselves to do things we probably won't ever do, then feel down on ourselves because we didn't do them.

No, I'm talking about a fresh new start. A chance to forgive ourselves for perceived mistakes from the year before and forget about them. A chance to stop beating ourselves up for those things. A chance to start over with a clean slate, so to speak, and, yes, even make new mistakes.

So I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year! Remember what Vivian Greene said: "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... It's about learning how to dance in the rain."

I hope we all dance in 2011!
 

I hope everyone had a wonderfully safe and happy December.

Husband, Joe, and I went to Texas for Christmas. I had what I've been referring to as a "spotted Christmas." There were spots that were good and spots that were bad. So it was spotted.

Joe's 85-year-old mom still insists on cooking the meal on Christmas Day. She doesn't want a lot of help because if I'm in the kitchen with her, she talks and forgets to concentrate on what she's doing. So I get to clean up afterwards—but I won't even go there. Anyway, she prepared the most wonderful tasting meal that anyone could ask for.

We had a fun visit with my brother Tim and his family on Sunday. Sis-in-law Angela had prepared another delicious meal, so we ate and talked and laughed for around five hours with them. That was a good spot!

I was sad that I didn't get to see my baby brother Paul, but he's working out of town and didn't get to make it back to East Texas.

After we'd been home in Nashville for a couple of days, I got to keep grandkids Shaun and Kayla Thursday, Thursday night and part of Friday. That was very good.

At one point Shaun, 10, was playing with my calculator. He said, "Mimi, what is (I'll make up a similar number like he used) 540 times 320?" So I just spit out a random huge number and he was happy to inform me that I was wrong. Then he did the same thing to Kayla, who is 8, and she said, very matter-of factly, "Shaun, I'm in the third grade. I'm not in college." And went about doing whatever she was doing.

We had 3 inches of snow last night, with more on the way tonight and tomorrow. I haven't gotten a lot done today. I'm too busy walking from window to window looking at the beautiful snow-sculptures. I went outside and made a few pictures.

Everyone have a wonderful and safe January.    

                                 Love,

                                                  Pat

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.

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

Instead of making New Year's Resolutions this year, why not join the New Year's Revolution! http://2011revolutions.blogspot.com/ 

Visit this site that is jam-packed with information that you can use to help you have a wonderful New Year's Revolution!
 

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 note was sent to Pat via email from Teresa S:

Dear Pat, I just wanted to let you know that your books have changed my life in a matter of days.

See, I received a Kindle for Christmas—I always read, always! Most of the time it is Sandra Brown and Linda Howard—I have read all their books. So I typed in on my Kindle "plus size romance" and your books popped up.

In the last 2 days I have read Nobody's Perfect (1st), Dangerous Curves Ahead (2nd), A Worthy Heir (3rd,) His Brother's Child (4th) and just finished Abigail's Revenge. They were all awesome. My favorite is Nobody's Perfect.

I wanted you to know that you are now MY FAVORITE AUTHOR. Please tell me more books are coming. I have been overweight my entire life, I never thought that I was pretty— my husband tells me that I am, BUT until I read your books—WOW, I am telling you life changing. Anyway just wanted you to know that!

Anyway thanks again for your life changing stories. God Bless you always!

Teresa S
 

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!
 

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

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