MWA’s Official Decision: That because Harlequin’s for pay publishing business violates MWA’s rules for approved publishers, MWA takes the following action: First, Harlequin shall be removed from MWA’s list of approved publishers upon the adoption of this motion; Second, that all current active status members of MWA whose status is based upon books published by Harlequin shall remain active status members; Third, that MWA decline applications for active membership based upon books published by Harlequin pursuant to contracts entered into after the effective date of this motion; Fourth, that books published by Harlequin pursuant to contracts entered into prior to the adoption of this motion shall be eligible for the Edgar® Awards, except that books published by DellArte Press shall not be eligible for the Edgar® Awards regardless of when such contract was entered into; and Fifth that books published by Harlequin pursuant to contracts entered into after the adoption of this motion shall not be eligible for the Edgar® Awards

Great post here which shows Harlequin stating it’s rational for doing what they are doing. “Informing” writers of their Vanity Press in rejection letters.

We believe that writers are best served when they make informed choices. As such, Harlequin’s rejection letter templates will soon be modified to encourage the author to consider the wide range of publishing options now available to aspiring authors including submitting to another house, resubmitting to Harlequin, ePublishing, self-publishing, or working with Dellarte Press.

From Dell Arte website…

By following our publishing process you can make informed choices about your publishing journey and ultimately end up with the book of your dreams. Our Dellarte Press team will assist you though the book publishing process every step of the way, but you must first decide to start your next chapter.

I thought this type of “Informing” was called “steering” or “Predatory Sales Practices” like passing a good clients credit information to a third-party marketing firm. That type of shady dealing is under investigation by the government as we speak and I even think there are consumer protections against that type of practice in many states. So no, I don’t think it is an accepted practice to even experiment with to many people. I think Harlequin is being run by shysters.

“Commedia dell’arte was concerned mostly with disgraceful love intrigues, clever tricks to get money or outwit some simpleton.”

My own search found this…

A rigid convention of the commedia dell’arte is the periodic intrusion of Harlequin, who interrupts the play with low buffoonery.

I have to agree with SFWA… SFWA on Harlequin Horizons

SFWA does not believe that changing the name of the imprint, or in some other way attempting to disguise the relationship to Harlequin, changes the intention

Until such time as Harlequin changes course, and returns to a model of legitimately working with authors instead of charging authors for publishing services, SFWA has no choice but to be absolutely clear that NO titles from ANY Harlequin imprint will be counted as qualifying for membership in SFWA.

SFWA does not believe that changing the name of the imprint, or in some other way attempting to disguise the relationship to Harlequin, changes the intention

I love you SFWA! You move me in so many ways.

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.
Michelle Monkou
RWA President

I know authors are asking why is every division of Harlequin suffering for this one Imprint. I honestly think when Harlequin states publicly that the Harlequin Horizons option will be offered on every rejection slip for all the Imprints then they have made the Vanity Press part of every aspect of their business. When they publicly state that an author paying for Harlequin Horizons will get considered for one of the other Imprints that is blatantly making offers to blur the lines for “the right price”.

Listen after an afternoon spent watching Malle Vallik, Harlequin’s Digital Director answer any questions about Harlequin Horizons like she was on the Titanic and failed to notice the iceberg approaching. Not to mention the Digital Director showing a total lack of understanding about even simple publishing concepts like First Sale… Who does she work for? She is no Angela James that’s for sure. In fact I am right now feeling really really sorry for Angela. I mean it this all looks bad even for Carina Press because Malle has her fingers in that pie too. I am not going near Harlequin as a whole now. No way!

I don’t like seeing out right lies and misinformation about publishing and it’s practices like the stuff Malle was saying. All I can say is if they feel comfortable enough to state that false crap on a site with published authors talking to them what the hell type of “information about publishing” are they telling their own authors or people interested in Harlequin?

Oh sorry, we know what they are saying. They have links and stuff for Harlequin Horizons all over the Harlequin websites “How To Write For Us” pages. Shall I go on about the whole 50% royalties after you pay them to publish the damn book? This is hurting authors folks plain and simple. Pay to play! When a publisher starts thinking it’s “reasonable” to expect it’s authors to pay for them to print their books and then pay them 50% royalties on top of that just for their name watch out.

So yeah, I agree with the RWA that Harlequin as a whole probably needs a good review especially if every Imprint and the whole Harlequin website is basically funneling new and rejected authors into this Harlequin Horizons scam and I guess it is up to the authors working there to let Harlequin know how they feel. It looks like the Titanic to me.

This just in….

Predators & Editors: 11/17/09: Harlequin becomes vanity publisher. Though they call it self-publishing, it will be under their Harlequin Horizons imprint and hence qualifies as vanity.

Writer Beware Blogs! Harlequin Horizons: Another Major Publisher Adds A Self-Publishing Division

These are the real experts all saying this is crap. So some of you go on arguing about the size of the iceburg and if the ship will actually sink or not as the deck tilts or how Bernie Madoff’s family and secretary did not know anything about his “business” and maybe even be ignorant and callous and blame the victims for not doing enough research. I just hope the smart people jump in time. I know I would not want my name involved with Harlequin or Publish America or AuthorHouse or their “business” either but that’s just how I roll with at least a little integrity.

UPDATE!

From Writer Beware Blogs: Harlequin Horizons: Another Major Publisher Adds A Self-Publishing Division

On November 9, Mystery Writers of America sent a letter to Harlequin about the “eHarlequin Manuscript Critique Service,” notifying Harlequin that it is in violation of our rules and suggesting steps that Harlequin could take to remain on our Approved Publishers list. The steps outlined at that time included removing mention of this for-pay service entirely from its manuscript submission guidelines, clearly identifying any mention of this program as paid advertisement, and, adding prominent disclaimers that this venture was totally unaffiliated with the editorial side of Harlequin, and that paying for this service is not a factor in the consideration of manuscripts. Since that letter went out, Harlequin has launched “Harlequin Horizons,” a self-publishing program.

MWA’s November 9 letter asks that Harlequin respond to our concerns and recommendations by December 15. We look forward to receiving their response and working with them to protect the interests of aspiring writers. If MWA and Harlequin are unable to reach an agreement, MWA will take appropriate action which may include removing Harlequin from the list of MWA approved publishers, declining future membership applications from authors published by Harlequin and declaring that books published by Harlequin will not be eligible for the Edgar Awards.

EREC: I am Cynic, hear me bitch.

I am with Emily on this one. Harlequin will distance themselves from Digital Only Publishing with Carina Press but slap their “good” name all over a Vanity Imprint. Sorry, this was a totally bad business move. Ripping off writers usually is and Harlequin sold their “good” name to Author House. Putting Harlequin corporate integrity up for sale for only $599.00! Good move to the Publish America basement guys I wonder how this will fly over at RWA or any other writers organization since Harlequin is publicly stating full involvement with this business and promising to review people who pay to do this and make them authors in their regular lines. So basically they feel their authors should be paying them these days.

“Partnering with Author Solutions, Inc., the recognized world leader in self-publishing, is an innovative and original approach to discovering new authors to add to our traditional publishing programs.”

I think statements like that mean a big question mark for anything Harlequin since you have to wonder what the “regular” author paid to become published by Harlequin in the first place. Pay to play means exactly that. You can’t write worth a damn but you can certainly hand them money for the bragging rights. You can’t buy respect or talent people! The fact that Harlequin wants to sell you their name means the rest of their authors get put in the same boat.

Yeah this is not “self publishing”, this is “vanity publishing”, this is not gonna fly. Looks like RWA’s last hope of “traditional publishing” just crashed and burned in one day. Ellora’s Cave has more credibility than Harlequin and that my friends is SAD.

UPDATE!

Dear Kevin A. Gray,

Let me be blunt here.

Your company is trying to buy it’s legitimacy. See, I buy self published books from authors I follow over on Lulu all the time. But you see the difference?

Lulu is not promoting itself as anything but what it is.
That’s just it Kevin.

In my opinion Lulu is not wallowing in your muck or buying any type of legitimacy or reputation it did not earn from any traditional press. They do not promote themselves as anything but a service provider for self publishing. They are not hinting at bestseller success or “a chance” at becoming a “real” author for Harlequin just by using them. Maybe that seems to be not a big difference to you or your company, but it’s the small things like Lulu’s attitude about “self publishing” being a different model that has it’s good parts and bad parts which matters to me and makes apparent the type of companies I think should be considered by the public as just another “sleazy come on”.

Angela James has just told me that she has accepted the Executive Editor position with Harlequin for their new “Digital Only” branch Carina Press.

Looks like this Harlequin team are doing some good things right off the bat since there will be no DRM and they will be Gay Romance friendly.

But… no traditional print releases like say a Loose Id or Samhain which to be honest is still what sells over on Amazon. Just check the rankings there. Let’s hope they are using that Harlequin marketing machine and talking with Apple to get in on some 2010 first of the year “Smart Tablet” hype goodness or something that will get some notice. Like a Harlequin/Carina iPhone/Android eBook Reader App that only sells Harlequin goodness? I keep telling people distribute but also own your delivery channel and brand brand brand.