The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by Laramie Sasseville:

I wasn't planning to do any shopping on Black Friday anyhow, but after reading this I'll plan to do my not shopping at Walmart. :)

(Horrified, and hoping the numbers of people injured join with the Damour family in a class action suit.)

#120 Julia,
What is there in Ellora's Cave contracts that you find objectionable? Do you know if it pertains to Cerridwen Press as their imprint?

Carina's website indicates that they are open to Poly love stories - along with everything else - and works of all lengths, including books that would be too long or short for most print publishers.

This just in, via Pub Rants, a quick back-peddling from Donna Hayes at Harlequin Enterprises"

"Most importantly, however, we have heard the concerns that you, our authors, have expressed regarding the potential confusion between this venture and our traditional business. As such, we are changing the name of the self-publishing company from Harlequin Horizons to a designation that will not refer to Harlequin in any way. We will initiate this process immediately. We hope this allays the fears many of you have communicated to us.

We are committed to connecting with our authors and aspiring authors in a significant way and encourage you to continue to share your thoughts with us.

Sincerely

Donna Hayes
Publisher and Chief Executive Officer
Harlequin Enterprises Limited"

Carina Press sounds like a much more reasonable proposition for writers - they are open to all genres and sub-genres. (F/SF, mystery, choose your own adventure, et alia). They only offer a 30% royalty rate, which is lower than some if not most other e-publishers, but their blog indicates that they'll offer more in the way of promotional help. (Not sure I trust that). Of course, after the Horizons debacle, with their RWA standing gone, that may not be worthwhile.

(Ordinarily PAN eligibility for RWA authors is based on both sales and the credibility of the publisher.)

#37 Texanne,

I'm just quoting their press release to the chapters. I probably should have included the whole thing. They also write,

"> Our editors remain committed to developing new talent through our regular submission procedures and dedicated to ensuring our published authors remain the global gold standard for romance writing. We also want our current authors to know that the books self-published through Harlequin Horizons will NOT be branded Harlequin, nor will they be distributed by Harlequin or appear in stores next to your books."

I think they are trying to have it both ways: to use the Harlequin name to attract writers for self-publishing and e-publishing, but not actually put their brand on the finished products, and
at the same time trying to distance their traditional lines from the new enterprises.

As a member of RWA I've been reading a lot about this issue on the chapter mailing lists.

#7 "I can't imagine slapping their brand on a bunch of vanity-press crap"

From what I gather, Harlequin is not planning to put their name on books published through Harlequin Horizons, nor on books published through Carina, their new e-publishing enterprise. From the blogging on the Carina site it sounds like these are intended as separate enterprises and they hope to have them treated separately from their other lines such as Harlequin Presents and Harlequin Nocturne.

In a message Harlequin sent to our Chapter link they wrote:
"In the last few days we've heard concerns from many of you about two new initiatives, Carina Press and Harlequin Horizons. We would like you, our authors, to have the correct information about these programs, and help you understand that these programs are in no way intended to compromise the integrity of Harlequin brand or the quality editorial we publish under that brand."

I suspect that things may shake out differently than they stand now.

I have to admit that I have not had this experience so far. Maybe because I'm tall enough to look a lot of guys straight in the eye, and am not afraid to use my outdoor voice and draw everyone else's attention along with the clerk's.

I’m invisible. Who knew that all it took was being middle-aged and female?

James Tiptree Jr. Of course, we were a lot younger when 'The Women that Men Don't See' was published.

In re-posting the video to my FaceBook page I characterized 'the mob' as 'bad citizens' rather than as Republicans. While the offenders are Republicans, I don't think they represent all Republicans and I want to leave room for more responsible Republicans to distance themselves from this kind of behavior.

This sounds like a job for... bailiffs. (Of the sort who help maintain order in a courtroom)

Amusing toy: cool beans! Thanks.

This really brings me back.

Doric Wilson's Street Theater is a play about the Stonewall riots. (I participated in a production of it back in 1984 in Boston - understudy for both female roles.)

"Street Theater is published by TNT Press (Box 1243 Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023); Street Theater is also included in the Don Shewey edited anthology Out Front (Grove Press), and is available at Drama Bookshop (http://www.dramabookshop.com)." (from Wilson's biography page)

Ooo! At last, books truly worthy of the finest bookmarks: http://www.dreamspell.net/crafts/

Desmond robbed a barrow in the unclean place;
Molog was awakened by his fuss.
Molog said to Desmond, "boy I'll eat your face,
and you'll become a zombie just like us!"

Oh my God, oh gosh darn, life goes on - Aaagghh!
Oh my how the life goes on....

I left the day-job early so that I can watch the coverage with less-divided attention.

"can anyone think of a good reason why Sarah Palin wouldn't tell reporters who she voted for?"

[snark]She is a married woman. She can't say anything that might reveal her hidden feelings for Obama. [/snark]

But really, if she voted for her own ticket it wouldn't be ladylike to say as much.

Al Franken does come across as a sleaze, but that doesn't count for much with the many of us who are fed up to here (pointing over my head) with clean cut Norm Coleman.

If he is in fact a Dead Man Walking, then the choice of Sarah Palin as Vice President also becomes more than a Hail Mary pass intended to destroy any bounce from the wildly successful Democratic Convention. It becomes reckless in the extreme

Actually, it makes me suspect that McCain secretly wants to throw the election to the Democrats. As it comes out that his health is so poor, and that Palin is so dreadfully underqualified to take over, fewer and fewer people will be willing to vote for him, and he must know it.

Side note: My sister, Melanie, worked in the Alaska State Governor's office until recently. At first she was afraid to speak out, for fear Palin would find a way to jeopardize her pension, but has since joined 'Women Against Palin.'

Slide show of photos taken at the demonstration in St Paul. (I appear in one of these, but it's an unflattering shot so I won't tell you which one.)

In my case the raids did more to exacerbate (peaceful) action than deter it. They convinced me of the need to express my disapproval in more than words.

Are elephants that much more common than eagles? (Mine was golden, not bald).

I second the vote for this permanent link:
http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/004641.html

(I was just about to try hunting it up.)

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