Horizons on the Harlequin Front

In case you haven’t heard the news by now, Harlequin is into the vanity publishing game now.  Check out it out here and here.  And if you’re into the uproar, check it out here.  Pay special attention to what Dave Kuzminski says.  If you don’t know him, he runs Preditors and Editors, which is a writer’s best friend when it comes to finding out who’s legit and who’s not.  He’s listing Harlequin Enterprises as a vanity press. 

The fallout.  Harlequin authors are worried that the name has been tainted by this move.  I can’t help but agree with them…to an extent.  Yes, Harlequin is selling their name to anyone with $599 to $1599 to spare.  Several of the authors on the Smart Bitches website have brought up a good point.  They’ve spent years trying to get into Harlequin and now it sickens them that others can simply buy the name with three clicks of the mouse.  It’s not fair.  And as someone else pointed out, this gives Harlequin more incentive to pass up a book that’s “almost there”, but they don’t want to spend their money to find out for sure.  Let the writer do it and if the book takes off, then we’ll pull them into the other imprint fold…for probably less money, too.

However, if their vanity press is any different from anyone else’s, writers will be lucky if they sell 50 copies of their book.  More important than that, those books won’t be sold on the shelf with the other imprints.  That’s the promise.  That’s what Malle Vallak said in the comment section of Smart Bitches.  By the way, read her post because I found it somewhat puzzling and it didn’t put to sleep all of the questions floating around my head. 

What does it mean for authors?  For the non-pubbed authors who are trying to get in with Harlequin, not much.  If they have agents, then those agents will pitch to Harlequin regardless.  For now, they’re still the cream-of-the-romance-publishing crop.  Not only that, but it’s good money.  As for their current stable of authors, not much.  Their books will still end up on the shelves at Targat, B&N, Walmart, etc.  The biggest problem I see is author branding and misleading aspiring authors who think they’re going to be picked up by the legit side of Harlequin.  Anyone who goes with Harlequin Horizons can pretty much say they’re published with the big boy.  How does that distinguish them from authors who’ve spent years getting their foot in the Harlequin door the old-fashioned way?  And as a rule of thumb that I’ve heard time and time again, money should flow toward the author.  Not from them.  Sure, this might sound like an ego trip on the part of the published authors, but it’s a legit argument, if you ask me.  Suppose you spent years saving up to get the house of your dreams, only to learn that the guy next door got his for free with the same credit score and history as you? 

I wouldn’t be surprised if authors start looking for other publishers because they don’t want to be associated with a vanity press.  I don’t blame them in the least.  And trust me, those other publishers would be more than happy to snag some good writers to saturate their bottom line, since publishing is still hurting.

What does this mean for readers?  It depends.  From a reader’s prospective, I’ve read both self-published and vanity press books.  While there were some I liked, there were a vast majority that I didn’t.  Some have left such a bad taste in my mouth that I could’ve thrown up red ink on the pages to single out all of the grammar mistakes.  It’ll take a LOT for me to pick up another self/vanity pubbed book again.  So, if you’re a reader, you have an idea of what I’m taking about.  Vanity presses are bad news because you’re not going to get the quality of a professionally pubbed book.  I don’t care if the book is e-pubbed, small press, or NY.  It doesn’t matter.  No editing is bad.  Period.  If I’m going to spend $20 for a book, then I expect a whole lot of quality to go into it.  I don’t care who published it or whose brand is slapped on the spine.  Based on personal experience, vanity presses and self-published books rarely have it.  I’d like to be proven wrong, but so far, it’s a no go.

The magic question.  So if someone offered me a Harlequin contract today, would I take it?  Of course.  I’d be a fool not to.  Harlequin is a NY publishing house and one of the best in the business.  Any author in their right mind would still want to publish with them.  Despite this black mark on their record, a publishing cred from Harlequin is worth something…assuming it’s not from Harlequin Horizons. 

My biggest question is how will RWA react to this news?  I speculate that they’ll be looking at imprints as part of their recognized publisher listing now, if they want to keep Harlequin in the fold…and their board of directors in tact.  And given what I know about how much Harlequin seems to be entangled with RWA, they’ll want to do that.  Personally, and sadly, I’d chuck them off the listing because those are the rules.  No vanity presses allowed.  RWA is for the writer’s best interest.  Not the publisher’s. 

And you probably thought Carina Press was going to send RWA into a tizzy. 

Your thoughts?

***UPDATE***

I could be wrong, but if I just read my RWA Alert correctly, Harlequin just got delisted as a recognized publisher.  I’ve even checked the list of eligible pubs on the website and I don’t see them .  Kudos for RWA for promptly standing up for their members for a change.  But damn if I don’t feel bad for all of those authors who have no other publishing creds under their name other than Harlequin.  They’re officially–according to RWA’s standards–vanity-pressed authors now.    Interestingly enough, that means Samhain and all of the other publishers who are listed as non-subsidy/non-vanity are a step above Harlequin.  Never thought I’d see the day.

***UPDATE 11/19/09***

Looks like Mystery Writers of America and Sci-fi Fantasy Writers of Amercia have also followed suit.  They’re knocking Harlequin off their list of acceptable publishers.  Let’s face it.  When a publisher is rejecting authors and then sending them to their vanity press services, that pretty much amounts to scam artist.  That’s no different from an agent sending a rejected author to a book doctoring service, which they happen to own.   I say bravo to RWA, MWA, and SFWA!

Now, I have one question.  What about Thomas Nelson?  They’re also doing what Harlequin is doing (with Author Solutions, Inc only calling it something else) and are still on the list of RWA’s eligible publishers.  I bet anything, they slipped by because RWA doesn’t have as much incentive to keep them on their radar.  Well, you can bet they’re on the radar now.  But the question still remains, why?  Don’t be surprised if they get tossed too.

***UPDATE 11/20/09***

I stand corrected.  Perhaps RWA is in the process of removing Thomas Nelson too.  While I see them still listed on the chart for eligible publishers, I don’t see any submission information about them on the Eligible Publisher Market Update page. 

She Gets It! She REALLY Gets It!

This post is dedicated to my Mom who there’s hope for yet.    Don’t worry.  I can talk about her because she never reads my blog.  Trust me on that.

Anyway, Mom and I had gone to the mall specifically for Cinnabons yesterday.  Where the delicious goodness sits, you have to pass the Barnes and Noble (my favorite one) to get there.  She wanted to stop to pick up a magazine and I wanted to look for book.   When you walk through the doors of my B&N, the sci-fi/fantasy section is one of the first sections you come to.  I stopped there to see if they had my book.  What came next left me doing a double take.

You see, my mom doesn’t read genre fiction.  Just not her thing, and I’m not out to convert her either.  It’s her prerogative.  The most she’ll read is a magazine or a newspaper.  She loves articles because they’re short, sweet and to the point.  Even with her bird books, they had better have plenty of pictures and information about the size of a People Magazine article. 

I expected Mom not to follow me into the sci-fi/fantasy section.  She did just that and ended up taking a moment to take in the fabulous covers.  Startled, she said, “Wow.  These covers are amazing!  They’re the first thing you see and the main thing to get you to buy the book.  I’d buy some of these for the artwork alone.”

SAY WHAT?!  Was that my mom talking?  The same chick who says Unstable Environment is too long to hold her short attention span, but buys my books anyway to support me? 

Nevertheless, I played it cool and decided to share my experience with how book covers come about and how all of it plays into marketing.  Even though Mom doesn’t read sci-fi/fantasy, she said I’d buy some of these for the artwork alone and that’s what marketing is hoping for.  That’s what we authors are hoping for.  That’s what the publishers are hoping for.  People like her who are in awe of book covers so amazing that it’ll convince them to part with some of their cash and take a chance on something different.  That’s why I can’t stress the importance of cover art.

Before you ask, no.  She didn’t buy a book.  She bought an astronomy magazine instead.    But it helped her understand what had drawn me into reading and eventually writing my own.  Who knows?  Maybe next time she’ll actually take that chance and part with her cash.

I’d be lying if I said book covers aren’t the first thing that catches my eye when I want something new and different to read.  They are.  Other things come into play like the blurb and the title, too.  But when it comes down to it, ask yourself.  Which book would you pick up first, if you knew nothing about the author and why?  As for me, I’m definitely reaching for A.  Book B will only get a WTF from me as I continue to pass by.

A.                                                        B.

                   

The Mindset of a Published Author – Part 2

Know every nook and cranny of the business.  This is s a lesson I’ve had to revisit recently. 

There are reasons why authors like to blog about the beginning stages of book from idea to publication.  Sure it’s boring, but there’s a bigger picture.  It’s called CYA or cover your ass.

When I first start writing, I started like many authors.  I wrote without any regards to the rules and ended up with an epic novel that had 250,000 words and a sequel of 180,000 that remains unfinished.  It wasn’t until I had a heartbreak with my first agent that I took time off from writing to get to know the business better.  Why?  Because if this was a career path I wanted, it was important to have it work for me instead of against me.  And since knowledge is power, I wanted that power.  Today, I protect my dreams with the fierceness of a lion.

I learned how to write a real query letter, a book that was within normal publishing limits for a first-time author, and what happens after the contract is signed.  I learned about my responsiblity as an author in terms of marketing and promotions because that’s how you find readers.  I also learned about reviews, growing a thick skin, and what things like print runs and copyedits mean.  Even though I’ve been at this for 9 years now, I have them reinforced from time to time to make sure I’m protecting myself. 

From one writer to another, it’s important to know everything you can about this business if you want to succeed in it.  Just because you land an agent or the publisher of your dreams, it doesn’t make it any easier nor can you rest on your laurels.  You’re officially in the game and need to secure your position. 

Nobody cares more about my career than me.  I protect it with everything in my arsenal.  Nothing hurts worse than to have your dreams dug out of the ground, trampled, and tossed on a compost heap.  *raising hand*  Knowing how the publishing business works is one huge guard against that. 

I had a clear vision of what I wanted out of my career before I started gathering a list of agents.  I was focused.  Though it’s a little harder to research, I have an idea of which publishing houses I’d love to work for.  More important, I have a backup plan for when my work doesn’t get picked up.  Yours can be anything from shoving your book under your bed to being your own “agent” by submitting it to publishers who take unagented submissions.  I always have a plan for when something doesn’t get picked up by someone who loves my work.  Make sure whoever you target really loves your work and sees you as a client.  Not as a way to make a quick buck.  I’ve seen this happen more times than I’d like to mention. 

I have a plan for each of my stories that don’t sell because I know enough about certain publishers to know exactly where they will be picked up without question.   The only reason why I haven’t contacted them yet is because I haven’t exhausted any of my higher goals yet. 

Be bold.  Be fierce.  Don’t be afraid to question everything.  Your dream is on the line.  As a writer, it’s your right.

How much do you know about the writing business?  Are you confident that it’s enough to keep you focused on your career path?

The Mindset of a Published Author – Part 1

This post is inspired by the fantastic job that the A&E channel did with Stephen King’s biography on Halloween morning.  Talk about a determined writer.  I especially loved the point when he took charge of his writing career and treated it more like a business. 

In my pre-pubbed days, I had time to write write write and it didn’t really matter what I wrote as long as I liked it.  Today, that still holds some truth, so that much hasn’t changed.  However, other things have.

My friend Melissa Carmichael reminded me of a quote I had heard before: “Write like you’re under contract, even if you’re not.”  Now that I am, I don’t have a choice in the matter.  But, I also have to write like this is a business.  Now that I’m published regardless of format, it’s more important than ever.

With my YA is finished, it’s time to come up with new ideas.  My maternity leave is coming up and I’ll have a little time on my hands to get some writing done.  Yeah.  Yeah.  I know what you’re going to say.  That baby will keep your hands full.  I’m more than sure of that, but I’m also sure that a baby doesn’t stay awake 24-7 either.  This will be a great time to steal away some time to write, so why squander it?

By treating this like a business, that means coming up with ideas is more important than ever.  I have stories I need to write for sequels that have sold.  While those weigh heavily on my mind, I also have to fuel my need to write something new.  Balancing the two can be somewhat difficult depending upon which is screaming the loudest.  However, when I get fantastic fan mail, like the one recently where a reader said I’ve revitalized her love for werewolves, it’s hard to put aside the third book in my Hunting Club (half-werewolf) series.  So, that’s at the top of my list.  Second, I have outlines I need to work on for other stuff that is currently being shopped.   Fingers crossed there will be some good news soon because I don’t work on anything where the first book hasn’t been contracted yet.  It’s a waste of my time when I could working on something that actually has a chance at selling.

So whether you’re a published author or not, just keep in mind that your entire mindset changes when you receive your first paycheck for writing.  You have to have a plan and constantly think about where your time is most valuable.  And while we’re at it, let’s be honest.  If you were only doing it for the love the craft, then you wouldn’t be trying to land an agent or NY.  You’d be giving your work away for free. 

So other than taxes, how do you treat your writing career like it’s a business?

Happy Halloween!

Of course I’m not letting this wonderful holiday go by without a word or two.  After all, it’s my most favorite time of the creepy year. 

Have a safe and Happy Halloween, folks!  I’ll see you Monday with a new post about what boggles my simpleton mind. 

But if you’re looking for some frightening fun in the mean time, then hop on over to Temple Library Reviews where I tell Harry what scares me.  One thing.  TLR is on Bulgaria time, so I have no idea when the post will go up for us US folks. 

Oh, and since Halloween always seems to yield some good news for me, I found out that it’s official.  STRIPPED will be coming out in trade paperback on June 1, 2010.  Woohoooooooooooo!  That’s assuming I can get the galleys done by November 23rd.  Interestingly enough, that’s also my due date.  No pressure.  *sigh*

Nesting

Lately, I’ve been pretty much off the radar with a LOT of people (i.e. my buddy and confidant, Kathy Calarco).    With so much going on and time winding down before my due date–I’m 35 wks with Baby Girl already assuming the head-down position–I’ve been busting my butt to get things done and not all of them are writing related. 

So what’s on my To Do list?

1. Finish putting up the sticky decorations on BG’s walls.

2. Pack for the hospital.  Do you think I need to bring a baby bag?  If so, what the heck do you put in it other than diapers, wipes, and Desitin?  The milk containers are on my chest, so no worries about bottles just yet. 

3. Get as much done on the day job before I go on my 8-week maternity leave.

4. Plot stories for STRIPPED part 2 and book three of my werecheetah series, write a novella (already contracted), finish revisions for TSIH, and give a once-over on a short story (possible series in the works) I had targeted for Samhain. 

5. Stop by the fire department and get a sexy fireman to show me how to put the baby seat in right.  Um…I *know* how to do it, but there’s no way I’m passing up a gawking opportunity like that. 

6. Set up my hair appointment because it’ll be the last thing on my mind before I give birth, and I’m not ready to let what little beauty I have go to the dogs just yet.  I don’t care how much pain I’ll be in.

7. Figure out how we’re going finagle a Thanksgiving meal around BG’s birth.  She’s due on the 23rd, so anything is possible, including an interruption on Thanksgiving Day.  As long as I get my turkey, stuffing, pie, cabbage, and green bean casserole, I’m good.

8. Baby shower on Halloween Day!  Woohoooooooooo!  I’m trying to get people to dress up.  Heck, I might dress up.

9. Put together my list of people to call when I go into labor.

So as you can see, my plate is pretty full for the next month.  The weird thing is when I think about everything I have yet to do, I wonder if this is what my childbirth educator was talking about when she mention nesting.  It’s not just about cleaning for me.  It has to do with making sure everything is ready and set before I go.  To the hospital, that is.  I don’t want to go anywhere until I know everything is in place.  Otherwise, it’ll plague me to no end.  Heck, it might take one of those sexy firemen to drag me out of the house and cart me to the hospital.

But then I started to wonder if my nesting was anything like plotting a story.  I wouldn’t know because the only preparation I do is write a book-cover blurb to give me an idea of what the story is about and where it’s going.  The rest is pantsing. 

I have to wonder if perhaps I had taken these same measures before starting a book, how would it affect the way I write one.  Would it?  I honestly don’t know and don’t want to experiment either.  But am I curious.  What sort of rituals or things do you do to prepare you for starting your next project?

4 Books for STRIPPED!

Another fabulous review from Long and Short Reviews for STRIPPED.  Man, oh man, do I love this story even more.  I need to get that  sequel going.  But in the mean time, here’s a snippet:

Ms. Colette grabs her readers from the beginning and keeps a tight hold to you until the end of the book, where she leaves you begging for more. She has created a world unlike any other. The pace is fast and the action is unforgiving. Her character descriptions were just enough to leave the reader wondering and searching their own imagination. The scenes were off the chart, as in out of this world. As a reader you will never expect the suspense, the drama, and the thrills. Throw some side stories thrown into the mix, and some steamy sex, and you have a read unlike any you’ve ever experienced before.

With a review like that, I have nothing but love for the folks over there.  A big, old thank you to Wild Plum for reading my book. 

An In-Your-Face News Report

There has been a lot of good stuff happening around the web lately, so I thought I’d take a moment to share.  And because I can’t find anything else that interesting to blog about with regards to my life.  I’m still pregnant and 33 weeks along as of Monday.  Tuesday is my OB appointment.  Saturday is my childbirthing class.  My baby shower has been moved to Halloween.  Woohoo!   

Um…  Well, like I said.  Nothing that interesting.  Oh, and I’m lovin’  Lovin’ LOVIN’ my YA paranormal.  Got some serious revision time down on this thing.  Oh, and one more thing.  Have I told you guys how much I love fan mail and how my books are getting around by word of mouth?  Oh, man, do I love this writing thing. 

Okay, so like the news…

First, my heartfelt condolences to Kate Duffy’s family, friends, and authors.  In case you haven’t heard by now, she died last Sunday of cancer.  She’s edited some NY Times bestselling authors while at Kensington, so I know she’ll be sorely missed.  One thing that always struck me about her is she’s a tell-it-like-it-is type of person and never afraid of the backlash it might cause.  I loved that about her.

Second, I don’t know if you guys remember my friend Kalayna Price from ConCarolinas, but her golden goose has landed, baby.  Not only did she sign on with Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency, but about two weeks later, she landed her first NY contract with Ace/Roc.  Way to go, girlfriend.  I’m so happy for you. 

Third, I’m still waiting for my girl Nicki to confirm, but she won the Maggie for best single title.  A huge CONGRATS to her.  I met Nicki at my first Moonlight and Magnolias and she’s a trip to hang out with.  I only wish I had gotten to spend more time with her.

Since I love giving people a leg up, my buddy Harry has also started a new blog and he has a great intro describing his passion for writing.  Check it out at: http://throughaforestofideas.blogspot.com/.

My girl, Jax Cassidy has redesigned the Romance Diva’s website and blog, so make sure you check those out.  There’s a reason why I think she’s Ms. Design Extraordinaire.  Just scroll down on the homepage and check out that pretty STRIPPED cover, if you don’t believe me. 

And before I forget, my girl Ryshia Kennie has a new book coming out this month, so I’m sure she’s both excited and nervous.  But more about that later.  I’m planning something special for her release. 

Other than several friends of mine getting back into the writing groove, that’s all I have to report.  Perhaps it has something to do with the phases of the moon. 

Any good news you guys want to share?  I’d love to hear it.

Lurves Me Some Kate

The fabulous Kate Douglas is over at Hooked on Romance today, so check out her interview. 

I first met Kate back at RT 2006 (or whenever it was in Dayton, FL) and she was just getting into her career.  She’s been putting out her Wolf Tales books as far back as I can recall and has a new series coming out called Demonfire.  The premise is very cool for this one.  She’s frank and to-the-point, but with a slice of great wisdom.

STRIPPED’s “Cultured” Review

Are you tired of me posting these things yet?  Well, you’ll just have to bear with me because I’m loving it.    The little book that could has received a rave review again.  This time, check it out at Pagan Culture.

I’ve read about many amazing women in urban fantasy, but this is the first time I meet a stripper-bouncer-half werewolf-witch-friendly-crossbow sniper who is experiencing some serious memory issues. Impressive, isn’t she? But Alexa wasn’t the only super heroine in this novel; the author did some significant ass kicking too—with her writing of course.

What  I like most about this review is that I got my Paganism research right.  I always get nervous when it comes to using other’s cultures or beliefs in my work because I don’t want to offend anyone, if I can help it. 

A huge thanks to Magaly.  This chick rocks!