Okay... I am working my tush off on my second GH entry. And working hard on improving my craft because Hey, I want to be a category romance writer... that's what I do well.
Welllllll......
Welcome self-publishing from HQN-Horizon publishing. Not too thrilled.
Time to reinvent the wheel ... after I submit my GH entries and finish all my other PRO duties.
The disappointment never ends. Why do we do this? Why Why Why.... because the people in my head can't be ignored. And I will NEVER SELL THEM OUT.
9 comments:
I believe that is the Key--never sell them out.
I was talking to another writer who asked herself--Why does she do this? Make all the sacrifices, push through on the writing...and get rejections...it would be so much easier to give up.
Simple--We HAVE to tell a story. We have characters, ideas..things that have to be written. If we didn't we'd go nuts.
I know I would.
So keep working on your craft!!! We can do this. ;-)
You're absolutely right. I am very disappointed tho, that HQN has diluted its very good name with this new venture. This pollutes the brand. Yuck.
I am focusing on my writing, my craft and my submissions. In the new year, I'll submit my partial that I'm working on to the agent who requested it and I'll make a new goal/business/writing plan. Once I exhaust all the agents, I am hitting the publishers who are interested in accepting unagented queries. Then I will wait till after the GH finalists are announced before I do anything else.
We must be true to our stories.
Who I feel sorry for are the uneducated, uninformed writers who aren't under the RWA protection and will be fooled by this new vanity publisher. Self-publishing with HQN Horizons will NOT get you in the door. And the cost? Ridiculous!
I a bit miffed.
RWA Alert: RWA Responds to Harlequin Horizons
Dear Members:
Romance Writers of America was informed of the new venture between Harlequin Enterprises and ASI Solutions to form Harlequin Horizons, a vanity/subsidy press. Many of you have asked the organization to state its position regarding this new development. As a matter of policy, we do not endorse any publisher’s business model. Our mission is the advancement of the professional interests of career-focused romance writers.
One of your member benefits is the annual National Conference. RWA allocates select conference resources to non-subsidy/non-vanity presses that meet the eligibility requirements to obtain those resources. Eligible publishers are provided free meeting space for book signings, are given the opportunity to hold editor appointments, and are allowed to offer spotlights on their programs.
With the launch of Harlequin Horizons, Harlequin Enterprises no longer meets the requirements to be eligible for RWA-provided conference resources. This does not mean that Harlequin Enterprises cannot attend the conference. Like all non-eligible publishers, they are welcome to attend. However, as a non-eligible publisher, they would fund their own conference fees and they would not be provided with conference resources by RWA to publicize or promote the company or its imprints.
Sometimes the wind of change comes swiftly and unexpectedly, leaving an unsettled feeling. RWA takes its role as advocate for its members seriously. The Board is working diligently to address the impact of recent developments on all of RWA's members.
We invite you to attend the annual conference on July 28 - 31, 2010 in Nashville, TN, as we celebrate 30 years of success with keynote speaker Nora Roberts, special luncheon speaker Jayne Ann Krentz, librarian speaker Sherrilyn Kenyon, and awards ceremony emcee Sabrina Jeffries. Please refer to the RWA Web site for conference registration information in late January 2010.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Gaylord Opryland!
Michelle Monkou
RWA ROCKS!!!!!
I'm right there with you. I am so disappointed that they did this. Vanity press by the queen of publishing? Ugh. It's just wrong.
There is a release from Harlequin that says Horizons won't bear the Harlequin name, just an 'HH' -- like we're all stupid and won't know what the first H is for?
The quality is going to suffer and that will reflect on the rest. Definitely two steps back for them.
Martha, I am not sure what RWA Chapter you belong to, but Southern Magic is on top of this issue. I am very proud of them and the published HQN authors' support.
This is a sad day :(
Came in after a long day and your blog was the first I heard of this. I've been reading around, catching up, and all I can say is WOW. So many people are going to be affected by this. I guess we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out.
Mary, it is a nightmare, but I am hanging tight. I can't believe it and it is all over the agent blogs as well. I am trying to stay focused on my writing, but it is difficult considering my category romance focus and other factors I can't get into on this blog. Very upsetting but I am glad RWA is on top of it.
I belong to GDRWA, and they are on top of it as well. As soon as something new pops up, they post and then the pubbed authors help explain to the rest of us.
I went to the Horizons website, and it is an education, that's for sure...
A person on my SM loop said the ladies sure looked mighty nice and clean for being writers slogging away behind the computer screen. LOL> First laugh I had over the whole sh**pile dumped on us.
Well, back to work on my synopsis.
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