tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post3400398904313453939..comments2024-03-24T16:50:00.727-05:00Comments on Maria Zannini blogspot: Swami Maria on Harlequin HorizonsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-88974918796948365032009-11-23T06:26:40.238-06:002009-11-23T06:26:40.238-06:00Ref: ("Please tell me my bottom line looks fa...Ref: ("Please tell me my bottom line looks fat in this!")<br /><br />That's priceless! LOL.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-89348982611017046922009-11-23T02:43:25.788-06:002009-11-23T02:43:25.788-06:00I self-published my blog posts for the year (conce...I self-published my blog posts for the year (conceited, much?) so the kids would have some rants to remember mama by, but Ha-Ho is something else again. And I agree with Catie. While more established authors are gnashing their teeth and declaring, "Think of the poor li'l unpubbed author chums", it's well to remember that a fair fraction of them honestly believe the universe <b>owes</b> them some kind of publication kudos, just because they managed to string 50K words (coherent or otherwise) together. Rather like this comment, really.<br /><br />And you bet the numbers were crunched on this. And it came out looking pretty black, which is a nice colour for a publisher. ("Please tell me my bottom line looks fat in this!")<br /><br />Having said all that, I still think tacking the name "Harlequin" on the venture is a tad reprehensible. And RWA's FTL (faster than light) response a tad knee-jerk-ish. Like you, I've stocked up on popcorn and many fizzy drinks. Roll on!Kaz Augustinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839835518368442832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-22042561669524565642009-11-21T15:57:19.390-06:002009-11-21T15:57:19.390-06:00Ref: ...I want around as an available backlist if...Ref: ...I want around as an available backlist if any of my readers want to see something more from me.<br /><br />That's an excellent idea, Carol. I never thought about self-publishing in that vein.<br /><br />Ref: boycott<br />I'm afraid a boycott will most likely hurt the authors more than the company.<br /><br />I think the huge angry rebuttal has helped a little since they're changing the name. Perhaps the best thing we can do is guide the newbies when we can.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-12245154700893376672009-11-21T15:07:23.095-06:002009-11-21T15:07:23.095-06:00I, too, am incredibly appalled that people keep ca...I, too, am incredibly appalled that people keep calling this "self-publishing" when it's vanity press. I plan to self-publish a few books over the next year, books that are too oddball for a regular publisher to consider but that I want around as an available backlist if any of my readers want to see something more from me.<br /><br />Vanity press is an okay idea as long as it doesn't become a money-grubbing scam that takes advantage of a proto-writer with stars in their eyes. The pricing that I've seen for HqHo (as some have called it) is as outrageous as that of credit card companies who are trying to cash in before all the new laws go into effect next year. It's a system that makes me wonder how the people involved on the business end will be able to sleep at night. Then again, they've probably got soft, expensive, new beds bought with the hard-earned money of the folks they fleece.<br /><br />I'm boycotting Harlequin. (Unfortunately it won't hit them hard, as I've never been a keen HQ reader.)Carol A. Stricklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144748925453952984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-84531416925551548392009-11-20T22:04:29.848-06:002009-11-20T22:04:29.848-06:00That's a good point, Catie. I've critiqued...That's a good point, Catie. I've critiqued more than a few writers who were insulted when I pointed out some really fixable problems.<br /><br />Sometimes people just want cheerleaders, someone to stroke their egos.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-68147734116933848812009-11-20T21:37:53.184-06:002009-11-20T21:37:53.184-06:00How do you stop an entire population of wannabe au...<i>How do you stop an entire population of wannabe authors?</i><br /><br />(You should have inserted: "many of whom feel entitled to publication by virtue of their very existence," at the end of that sentence.)<br /><br />Oh and in answer to your question? You don't.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00560147197082915677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-45991979665999720802009-11-20T18:15:45.456-06:002009-11-20T18:15:45.456-06:00I don't think it's over yet. We'll see...I don't think it's over yet. We'll see if the other shoe drops.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023439581304993308.post-24750784398680548812009-11-20T17:57:22.881-06:002009-11-20T17:57:22.881-06:00I think what disturbed me most about this is twofo...I think what disturbed me most about this is twofold:<br /><br />1. Harlequin using their name and influence to entice people to publish, especially (!!) that they will refer their REJECTED authors to HH (or whatever they're going to call it -- because they've said they're renaming it due to all the hullaballo). That's just utterly unethical, IMHO<br /><br />and<br /><br />2. The fact they keep calling it self-publishing. It ISN'T. It's a vanity press. When you self-publish, you pay a fee to print your book(s) and then YOU -- the author -- keep ALL of the income when you sell a copy of your book. With HH (or whatever), they keep 50% of all income from sales and this is AFTER they charge you to publish the book.<br /><br />It's just plain crazy and I'm unbelievably sad, disenchanted and disappointed. <br /><br />Not that HQ cares what I think, lol.Marianne Arkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934613403368823760noreply@blogger.com