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Pat Ballard

Pat Ballard

About

Pat Ballard is the Queen of Rubenesque Romances and author of 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are).

A King Under Siege

A King Under Siege

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<p><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.</span><br /><span class="a-text-bold" style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">B.R.A.G. Medallion honoree!</span></p>

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<p align="right"> <em><font size="2" color="#111111" face="Verdana">Pat Ballard, the self-described “Queen of Rubenesque Romance,” herein tackles an entrenched stereotype of conventional romantic fiction — the perpetually skinny heroine — and successfully turns it on its bony derriere. </font></em> </p> <p align="right"><em><font size="2" color="#111111" face="Verdana">This collection of ten short stories feature women who are just that: all woman. There’s not one ultra-slim fashion model in the bunch. Their curves are all there and they make no apology for them, whether these ladies work their own cattle ranch, run an antique store or work as an executive secretary in the big city. What this means is that the vast majority of romance aficionados can relate very well to these shapely women who dare to wear larger dress sizes. Better yet, the handsome heroes depicted all appreciate curvaceous heroines, too. </font></em> </p> <p align="right"><em><font size="2" face="Verdana">In fact, some of these short stories could be more appropriately labeled “coming-to-terms” tales since they feature a young woman’s search for self-esteem that isn’t skin deep. In “Freedom” Molly’s boyfriend Mike is shocked when he discovers she comes from a family of large-sized women, because Molly has been starving herself for years in order to remain thin. When Mike issues an ultimatum that after they marry Molly had better not gain any weight, she realizes that he only loves her for her outward appearance and not because of who she is. Armed with this knowledge, she dumps him and eventually finds peace within herself and with her size.</font></em></p> <p align="right"><font size="2" face="Verdana"><em>Ballard doesn’t pull punches. She shows her heroines exhibiting ample will and tenacity to tell off those who would shame them into becoming something they aren’t just to blend in with society's narrow-minded notions of beauty. There’s no guilt in being a big, beautiful heroine in <strong>Dangerous Curves Ahead</strong>, and that is itself a formula for a classic happy ending</em>.</font></p><p align="right"><font size="2" face="Verdana">— <strong> C.APPEL </strong> •<strong>  FEARLESS BOOKS</strong><br />8-10/04 </font> </p>