The Pearlsong Letter

Online serial becomes novel romance for the fat & fabulous

Authors create fat-topian fantasy to entertain and empower

NASHVILLE, TN--In 1997 Rebecca Fox and William Sherman coped with the stress of near-weekly visits to her ailing mother by creating a soap opera set in a size acceptance organization. Their imaginings became a cyber-serial in Dimensions magazine online. Now the couple's sudsy story has been polished and published as the novel Measure By Measure (Pearlsong Press, June 15, 2009), taking on new life as a fat-positive Tales of the City .

In co-creating what became their 384-page novel, Fox and Sherman were inspired by both Armistead Maupin's San Francisco tales and their local chapter of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.

The couple are longtime NAAFA supporters and had established a chapter of the fat advocacy organization in Central Illinois in the 1990s. They created a fictional NAAFA in RADFAm (Respect And Dignity for Fat Americans). Memories of friends and conventions fleshed out their fictional characters with a Windy City flair.

The novel's opening scenes revolve around a RADFAm-sponsored dance. But there's more to Measure By Measure--and its size-accepting milieu--than frothy fun.

Fox's mother's childhood size issues had seeded a quarter-century of body hatred in Fox. After she and Sherman met at a wedding in 1982 and ultimately married, both embraced size acceptance. In subsequent years Fox and Sherman have jointly and individually authored romantic and fantasy fiction as well as critical essays and reviews on body esteem and pop culture. Fox has also spoken on size acceptance to college students and younger children.

The cross-generational transmission of fat fears and poor esteem that Fox experienced and transcended plays a role in Measure By Measure. "I pray now that, in reading this story, mothers and daughters can break the chain of self-loathing and embrace their unique personal power," Fox says.

Measure By Measure ($25, original trade paperback, ISBN 9781597190176) is available from Amazon.com and other online retailers, as well as directly from the publisher at www.pearlsong.com.

Fox and Sherman will chat with Pearlsong Press publisher Peggy Elam, Ph.D. in a free teleconference call (one of a series of Pearlsong Conversations) at noon Eastern/11 a.m. Central on Wednesday, June 10, 2009. Email pearlsongconversations @ pearlsong.com or go to www.pearlsong.com/pearlsongconversations.htm for details.

New book celebrates the poetry and process of fat embodiment

Five smart, sassy, sensual and soulful women share the poetry and process of fat embodiment in Fat Poets Speak: Voices of the Fat Poets' Society, to be published by Pearlsong Press on May 6, 2009.

The 126-page original trade paperback by Kathy Barron, Anne S. Kaplan, Corinna Makris, Lesleigh J. Owen and Frannie Zellman has its roots in a poetry workshop at the 2006 annual convention of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, a civil rights organization celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The poets are donating their royalties to NAAFA.

In a sociocultural climate in which fat bodies are considered diseased and blamed for everything from rising medical costs to global warning, it takes courage for fat women, especially, to express anything but shame about their bodies. Fat Poets Speak is part of and intended for the growing movement reclaiming "fat" as a valid way to exist in the world.

Kathy Barron has a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan, ran her own health food store, worked as a bodyworker, energy healer and caregiver, and now is pursuing her dream of writing. Anne S. Kaplan is a Certified Personal Business and Life coach, a "recovering scientist" with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and a former computer programmer and consultant. Corinna Makris is the proprietress of ThisLushLife.com, an online plus-size clothing/living resource. Lesleigh J. Owen has a Ph.D. in sociology and is a college instructor and social activist.  Frannie Zellman received her M.A. in creative writing from Boston University and is the author of the novel FatLand, also published by Pearlsong Press (January 2009).

Fat Poets Speak was edited by Zellman.

"Pro-health laws" lead to size acceptance sanctuary in new novel FatLand

New Jersey author Frannie Zellman's fantasy inspired by current events

NASHVILLE, TN--In the near future "anti-obesity" initiatives in the United States become so oppressive that people seeking freedom over their bodies establish a new country, Fat Acceptance Territory Lease Accession Non Dated--FATLAND. Or they do in the novel by that name just released by Pearlsong Press.

In FatLand, life is good and scales are forbidden. Free from the hatred and discrimination of the Other Side, FatLanders have built productive lives. But as the book (first of a planned trilogy by New Jersey author Frannie Zellman) unfolds, a group of FatLanders and freedom fighters on the Other Side face forces threatening the health and happiness of all.

FatLand may be fantasy, but its premise is reflected in real-world news. In 2008 alone, anti-fat initiatives in the U.S. have included Mississippi state legislators sponsoring a bill forbidding restaurants from serving fat people and Alabama's State Employees' Insurance Board approving a plan to charge $25 more a month for insurance to "overweight" employees who fail to "progress" in losing weight. Meanwhile, Japan launched a waistline-measuring campaign in which those larger than the narrowly defined ideal and have "weight-related" conditions are given dieting advice and "further re-education" if they do not lose weight.

As Zellman noted in a recent interview with Pearlsong publisher Peggy Elam, Ph.D., all these and other "anti-obesity" initiatives have been enacted even though there is no safe, effective, permanent means of making fat people thin. Such initiatives have increased the stigma and discrimination experienced by fat Americans and further stressed people of all sizes struggling with eating disorders.

Frannie Zellman received her M.A. in creative writing from Boston University in 1980. She is a member of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) and has taught writing workshops for people of size. FatLand ($19.95, 212 pages, original trade paperback) is her first novel.

FatLand is available from Amazon.com and other online retailers, as well as directly from the publisher at www.pearlsong.com.

Take a peek at FatLand, the novel by Frannie Zellman

In the near future the Pro-Health Laws of the United States of America have become so oppressive that people seeking freedom over their bodies have established a new country: FatLand. In FatLand, life is good and scales are forbidden. Free from the hatred and discrimination of the Other Side, FatLanders have built happy, productive lives. But not everyone is flourishing.

Ava came to FatLand after her lover died from bariatric surgery. She threw herself into work, believing she was immune from love. Then she saw a beautiful dancer and lost her heart again.

Alvin and Reevie thought that by living in FatLand they could give their children and each other a chance for a life free of sizeim and racism. They didn't count on their lovely twin daughters' curiosity and yearning for excitement and danger.

Joann and Ed carved out what they thought was a peaceful existence. But their bright children are anything but happy in the well-appointed home and tranquil life their parents had created in FatLand.

Well-to-do, attractive and sophisticated, Dara and Sandor thought they could make the FatLand Board dance to whatever tune they wished. But their way of life and beliefs are about to be tested more severely than either of them could have imagined.

Dreaming and determined, luscious Margaret fled to FatLand after her rich, powerful paramour married a thin woman he didn't care for. She made a deal with her devil so she could publish the top flight newspaper FatLand badly needed. But then the devil called in the cards.

Soon these FatLanders and the freedom fighters on the Other Side will face forces threatening the health and happiness of all.

Read an excerpt of the novel here.

FatLand is being published by Pearlsong Press in January 2009. Purchase an early copy of the original trade paperback now from the Pearlsong Press online store -- we're offering free shipping within the U.S. for copies purchased before Jan. 15, 2008. (Buy extra copies for holiday gifting!)

Ebook version of At Long Last, Love by Judy Bagshaw now available from Pearlsong Press

The Adobe PDF ebook version of Judy Bagshaw's short story collection At Long Last, Love is now available from Pearlsong Press.

Judy Bagshaw is a retired elementary schoolteacher and writer in Southern Ontario, Canada. Her short stories feature plus-sized characters leading rich and active lives, just as she does.

Other ebooks available from Pearlsong Press include the recently released Adobe PDF ebook of Pat Ballard's romantic suspense novel The Best Man, as well as Ballard's novels Abigail's Revenge, A Worthy Heir, His Brother's Child, Nobody's Perfect, & Wanted: One Groom , and Ballard's short story collection Dangerous Curves Ahead.

The ebooks can be purchased directly from Pearlsong Press at www.pearlsong.com, as well as at select online ebook retailers.

New from Pearlsong Press: 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are) by Pat Ballard

Pat Ballard's first nonfiction book, 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are), is now available from Pearlsong Press.

As a young woman 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.

"I have been a fan of Pat Ballard's writing, and her vision, for years. If you haven't learned to cherish your life's vehicle -- your body -- this beautiful little book will make a big beautiful difference. If you already know what is truly important, this book will re-arm you for the sometimes daunting task of living fully at any size.""

Janey Milstead
Writer/Editor & past Editor-in-Chief of BBW magazine

Ballard, known as the Queen of Rubenesque Romances, is the author of seven works of romantic fiction featuring big beautiful (plus size) heroines. 10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are) is her eighth book.

Pat Ballard, Queen of Rubenesque Romances, to appear at Borders Bookstore in Brentwood, TN Saturday, May 12, 2007

Pat Ballard, the Queen of Rubenesque Romances, will be at the Brentwood, TN Borders bookstore at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12 to celebrate publication of her latest book, the romantic suspense novel The Best Man.

The exact agenda of the Saturday event (for which there is no charge) is still up in the air--that is, it's not certain yet whether Pat will give a talk or read from her latest book as well as autograph copies. But at the very least she will be available for Q & A, and will hand out ribbons imprinted with her "10 Steps to Loving Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are)"...steps she is expanding into a nonfiction book.

The Best Man is Pat's seventh book and sixth novel. Her previous works, all published by Nashville, TN-based Pearlsong Press, include Dangerous Curves Ahead: Short Stories, Wanted: One Groom, Nobody's Perfect, His Brother's Child, A Worthy Heir and Abigail's Revenge.

Pat's books and short stories feature "plus sized" heroines and are written to inspire self acceptance and self-care in all women, as well as to entertain. Pat herself almost died from an eating disorder in her teens, and continued dieting/starving herself for years until resolving to eat normally and learning to love the body that resulted.

Taking Up Space now available from Pearlsong Press

The autobiographical case study Taking Up Space (Pearlsong Press, October 2005, $25) by medical sociologist Pattie Thomas, Ph.D. debuted at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, TN Oct. 7-9.

The original trade paperback is now available from online and offline booksellers as well as directly from the publisher.

New romantic suspense from the Queen of Rubenesque Romances

Pat Ballard's newest book, the romantic suspense Abigail's Revenge, is now available in original trade paperback from Pearlsong Press.

The book retails for $14.95 and can be purchased at online and offline bookstores as well as directly from the publisher.