More posts on RWA and Harlequin Horizons

MWA’s (Mystery Writers of America) response to Harlequin’s new line …

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/208752/4a27450be0/347001009/7edbb5ca68/

Excellent points from Ashley Grayson …

http://graysonagency.com/blog/publishing/harlequin-horizons-a-mugs-game/

Nora Roberts shares her thoughts on it ..

http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/

RWA revokes Harlequin’s approved-publisher status

Is Harlequin's new line a new profit center that takes advantage of author hopefuls, or is this, as Harlequin says, a new way writers can reach their goal of being published? RWA's stand is clear.

Harlequin Enterprises’ new venture, Harlequin Horizons, steps over the line and makes them ineligible as an RWA-approved publisher.

RWA bases this on the fact that the new Horizons line requires hopeful authors to pay for commonly provided publisher services.

Here are some interesting links where you can learn more.

http://www.annaguirre.com/archives/2009/11/18/rwa-has-stones/

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2009/11/harlequin-horizons-another-major.html

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/11/17/harlequin-horizons-shortsighted-or-fa\

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Agents are also watching this closely — see http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

Writer’s, artist’s affirmation in trying times

Keep your creative fires burning with faith and affirmations

Bad economy, shrinking markets, dismal sales – these external events fall like cold rain, dashing our creativity.  Affirmations help, and I’m sending a “thank you” to Cher Gorman for this inspiring quote.  I’ve seen the last sentence quoted, but the entire message is powerful.  May it encourage you in trying times… Janet

“It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
—Theodore Roosevelt

Critique group fun

Halloween critique - and a ghostly good time was had by all

I love my critique group. We’ve been together for over a decade, and respect each other’s writing and comments on our own writing.  Our session fell on Halloween this year, and since all of us possess a playful side, we decided to critique in costume. By the looks of the dagger poised over my head, it appears I might not survive this session, LOL.