Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in isabelswift's LiveJournal:

[ << Previous 20 ]

Monday, November 9th, 2009
9:56 am	Press Release: Harlequin launches digital-only publishing house Carina Press For Immediate Release Harlequin launches digital-only publishing house Carina Press™ currently accepting submissions Toronto, ON (November 9, 2009) – Harlequin Enterprises Limited, the global leader in series romance and one of the world’s leading publishers of women’s fiction, announced today the launch of Carina Press™,a digital-only publishing house that will operate independently of their traditional publishing businesses. Carina Press is a digital-only publishing house whose eBooks will be sold direct to consumers through the Carina Press Web site and numerous third-party Web sites. Carina Press will publish a wide range of women’s fiction—from romance to erotica, science fiction to mystery, family sagas to choose your own adventures, horror to thriller and more, including every conceivable subgenre of these categories. “As a digital-only publisher Carina Press is a natural extension to our business; it builds on our digital strength and leadership position. We expect to discover new authors and unique voices that may not be able to find homes in traditional publishing houses,” said Donna Hayes, CEO and Publisher of Harlequin Enterprises. “It definitely gives us greater flexibility in the type of editorial we can accept from authors and offer to readers. As well, we hope to reach a new group of readers with niche editorial.” Brent Lewis, Vice President Digital, is delighted to announce Angela James is joining Carina Press as Executive Editor. A veteran of the digital publishing industry, James is a well-known advocate for digital publishing. James has enjoyed a long and varied publishing career including senior editorial positions at digital-first publishers. “I have admired Harlequin's digital initiatives for years, and have always thought of them as leaders in the digital arena, so I'm unbelievably excited to join the Carina Press team,” said James. “I believe Harlequin can bring digital publishing to the next level for both authors and readers.” Lewis added, “Angela has been a key player in growing the digital marketplace for romance. Her experience and insight is a tremendous benefit to the Carina Press team.” Carina Press is currently accepting submissions in all genres of commercial fiction. Carina Press will consider shorter length stories, genre novels between 50,000 to 100,000 words and longer and complex narratives of over 100,000 words. Carina Press will also acquire books that have been previously released in print form, but for which the author has either retained digital rights or had digital rights revert to them. All submissions should be sent to submissions@carinapress.com. Carina Press plans to launch in summer 2010 and will release new titles on a weekly basis. Between now and the launch, readers and writers can follow the progress of Carina Press via their blog. For full submission guidelines and more information on Carina Press please go to www.carinapress.com. About Harlequin Enterprises Harlequin Enterprises Limited is the global leader in series romance and one of the world’s leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in 28 languages and sold in 114 international markets. The company produces over 110 titles monthly in print and digital and publishes more than 1,100 authors from around the world. Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation, a broadly based media company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TS.B). Harlequin’s Web site is located at www.eHarlequin.com. Harlequin has offices in 19 countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more information please visit www.eHarlequin.com or press.eHarlequin.com. For more information, please contact: Malle Vallik Director, Digital Content & Social Media 416-445-5860 malle_vallik@harlequin.ca (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
10:30 am	Happy Halloween! Strolling through the neighborhood, the decorations were impressive and I wanted to share them with you. As I looked at the houses, I realized the focus was on setting the tone, first impressions--just like the opening of a story. While some of these entryways may over promise in terms of delivering something similar inside, don't you just want to check it out? Here this real estate agent is clearly calling attention to the key element they want you to focus on (Yes, the agent's name really is Bubes. Perhaps it's pronounced in a special way): Here a daunting uphill climb is accompanied by ghosts and an organist, luring you to the top... It's all about the entry way: Step right in... Where are you going, and what makes you want to go there? This was the "piece of resistance" (never have been able to understand how that phrase works in French--shouldn't it be irresistible?). Quite an entrance, isn't it? I like the skeletal remains on the pathway.  The witch is almost too scary... And here there's room for some added support (don't they look like a ghostly version of Rodin's The Burghers of Calais?), directing you too that compelling opening. Nice, eh? If your story were a house, would you want to go inside? What does the entry way look like? (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 21st, 2009
10:50 pm	Hae you seen Julie and Julia? Turns out there's a story behind the story (OK, when isn't there?). Apparently Streep had encountered Childs some years ago when seeking Childs' endorsement and support to back one of Streep's 'we are being poisoned by food' agendas, which Julia (who seems to feel that most anything in moderation is fine ) was utterly uninterested in. Childs was also vehemently against the scare tactics and fear mongering utilized by purveyors of these agendas. That seems to have annoyed Streep, who made some accusations in a recent UK Telegraph article about Julia and the American Council for Science and Health. So then the ACSH had to weigh in. You'll find Dr. Whelan’s response to the Meryl Streep interview here. Don't you love getting a glimpse of the complexities of human relationships, the occasional myopia of personal agendas, and general (IMHO) lack of common sense? It does make me appreciate and strive for a measured assessment of information. Despite her personal differences, Streep offered a lovely redition of Julia, a woman with a delightful joi de vivre. I really enjoyed the film, and if you have a chance next time you're in Washington, D.C. go to the Smithsonian's Museum of American History and visit Julia Childs' kitchen. Bon Appetit! (Comment on this)
Monday, August 31st, 2009
5:18 pm	Favorite Things: Alfi I had dinner last night with friends & discovered there were avid tea drinkers among them, so I made them a pot of tea and expounded on my love for my Alfi. That made me realize I should share my delight with other potentially like-minded souls! First, let me position my tea drinking habit: I am a tea philistine. I like black tea, fairly dark, with a lot of milk and sugar. My needs and requirement are simple and unrefined. I just like the taste. I do not worry about whether the water is boiling, just under, or whatever temperature releases (or does not release) unattractive tannins. Whatever! For me the issue is simply: does the water turn dark enough and if I put a lot of milk in it, does it stay hot enough (but not too hot) to sip and enjoy immediately? Like a baby gosling, I am imprinted on Twining's Earl Grey blend as my tea of choice, but I've been willing to branch out--Bigelow's English Teatime, Twining's Irish Breakfast & have even liked some loose teas: Red Blossom's Keemun and their Hunan Black are in my cupboard So why do I think this Alfi is great? Well, in general, I make myself a pot in the morning & then drink it throughout the day. I used to have various tea cosies to fit various tea pots to try to keep it warm, etc. but by the third cup, I needed a microwave to warm it up. Yes, I have done it and lived to tell the tale. If you microwave with the milk in, you don't have to do it as long & usually it tastes OK to me. But this Alfi has an internal glass thermos with a sealed lid that opens and pours with a finger press. It keeps that pot of tea (without a stained tea cosy) beautifully hot and drinkable for a very long time. Even if you're a more refined tea drinker (or even a coffee drinker who may not care for having the coffee pot sit on the heater for hours) I think you'll find the Alfi a highly useful and lovely addition to your life. I still use my tea pots for loose tea, but the Alfi is my pot of choice for tea bags. I only use one tea bag per pot and get about three mugs of tea per pot. And it's very cute! Once I realized how wonderful the Alfi was, I ordered 10 more to be sure I had one in every house I spent time in (that is I gave them as Christmas presents to all close family and friends...). My handy plug-in Capresso water boiler (pictured on the right) was used it in my office, but I've migrated one use at home as well, so I never have to worry about forgetting water on the stove. In my office, an Alfi, a water boiler, a small refrigerator for milk, a supply of sugar, spoon and mug and I never needed to go to the kitchen. Here is one of my Alfis at home. It's sitting on a tile my husband bought me when he went to the Taj Mahal. Nothing's too good for my Alfi.... I am not (alas) getting any kickbacks from Alfi on this. The information shared is solely to let you know about what I think is a great product that may meet your needs. Drink up! (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
12:17 am	Take the PW Survey – Listen to the Google Book Settlement & Webinar Yes, it's the Google Book Settlement again. With a September 4th deadline looming to opt out of or object to the Google Book Search Settlement, Publishers Weekly is conducting a survey designed to gather a broad view of how the Settlement is being viewed. Could you to take a few minutes to answer this brief, targeted questionnaire? PW wants to gauge industry opinion. Note that you don't have to have standing in the suit to participate in the survey. It should take just a few minutes. Of course, some of us who feel strongly about the compelling need for this settlement to go through in order to ensure authors and publishers are offered some protection and ensure copyright is respected may take longer filling it out! As I said in a previous post, while the settlement is not perfect, it's an important first step. It literally took years, and involved a group of very smart, committed representatives for authors, publishers and a global search engine. I don't see anyone raising their hand to do better. Without the settlement, we remain in a lawless frontier, and the implications would be devastating for copyright in the digital arena. There are a lot of people who can benefit from a state of anarchy, but it's time for content creators and those that value content to draw a line in the sand. Please click here when you are ready to take the survey. (if necessary, the address to cut and paste is: www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229EB66ZEQ5) Results of the survey will be shared in the August 24th issue of PW. If you have questions or comments about the survey, please contact Laura Girmscheid, PW Research Manager at lgirmscheid@reedbusiness.com. If you'd like to learn more about the settlement, you can check out the information on the Author's Guild and the Association of American Publisher's websites. But there's also a recent Webinar hosted by Publisher's Weekly you can access. Go to www.PublishersWeekly.com, click on "Tools" to the far right of the top navibar, then Webcasts and register for the webcast: Google Library Project Settlement: What It Means for Publishers (or just click on the link!). You will be able to access the webcast archive for one year following the initial webcast. Description of the Webinar: In a webinar first, the leaders involved with the crafting of the Google Library Project Settlement will share with the publishing industry the benefits of the agreement for publishers and authors. If approved by the Court in October, the agreement will create one of the most far-reaching intellectual, cultural, and commercial platforms for access to digital books for the reading public, while granting publishers unprecedented opportunities and protections. Presented in collaboration with Google, The Association of American Publishers, and Publishers Weekly, the web session is a must-attend event. PANELISTS Richard Sarnoff, Co-Chair, Bertelsmann, Inc., AAP Board of Directors John Sargent, Chief Executive Officer, Macmillan, AAP Board of Directors Jan Constantine, General Counsel, Author's Guild James Gleick, Author Michael Healy, Executive Director Designate, Book Rights Registry MODERATOR Jim Milliot, News Director, Publishers Weekly Thanks for listening! I think it's important. (Comment on this)
Friday, June 26th, 2009
12:22 pm	My Body of Content, My Choice Many of you have heard of the suit the Association of American Publishers and the Author's Guild (a class action suit) brought against Google in response to Google's plans to digitize copyrighted content without the copyright holder's permission. Google additionally gives a complete digital copy to the libraries from whom they were getting the content, to do with what they wanted. While Google said they were only planning on using "snippets" (not a legally defined quantity, so it's whatever they decide) to aid in search, and felt that the open wording of Fair Use would cover them in making entire copies of protected material, Publishers and the Author's Guild did not agree. Both Publishers and the Author's Guild felt that anyone making a full copy of a copyrighted work should ask the copyright holder's permission. After two years of negotiation, a Settlement was reached, which you also may also have heard about. The Settlement has been delayed and there will be fairness hearings on October 7th. Now it seems that everyone and their kitchen sink is weighing in with issues, and the settlement may not go through. That would not be good news, in my opinion. While the settlement is by no means perfect, it's a start. Without it, content creators and publishers are left very vulnerable on the digital frontier. And it is literally a frontier. To continue the metaphor, settlers are going out in their covered wagons, putting stakes in the ground, claiming the open land. It's not an easy life, and initially, fortune seems to favor lawlessness. But once enough people move out there, laws become increasingly important to be able to survive and thrive as a society. You've seen the movies–it's a challenging process, but respecting property and creating and abiding by a rule of law is a key next step. That's what needs to happen on the digital frontier, and the settlement is a great first step. The settlement needs advocates–authors, publishers, content creators of all kinds–to counter the 'all digital content should be free and accessible to all' voices, also the 'I'm a competitor of Google and I don't want them to get anything' guys with deep pockets. I'm sure there are more--and likely more compellingly presented–arguments! They may have some valid points. But if they succeed in blocking the settlement, they sure aren't replacing it with anything better. We're just back to the frontier, where having copyright will not protect your content from being fully digitized by anyone (Google, Microsoft, Jane Doe, whoever). It will be used as they see fit, banking on the ambiguity of Fair Use to protect them until something is so egregious, someone sues them. Is this sounding familiar? For those that don't see the problem of making a full digital copy, here is my metaphor: If I want to show (or not show) parts of my body to the public–maybe I wear a short skirt, or maybe I wear a scarf, or maybe I go topless in a particular place–that's my choice. But to those that want to take a full body scan of all of me–yes, EVEN if you promise you'll only show little bits, even if it's for medical reasons–you have to ask me. My body of content, my choice. John Sargent, an AAP member, was featured in an interview in the June 8th issue of Publishers Weekly (Sargent Makes the Case). Additionally, Tom Allen, the new CEO of the AAP had a recent op-ed in Publisher's Weekly. In recent days some strong arguments in favor of the Settlement have also appeared in print from individuals who are not party to the Settlement. Reuter's financial columnist Mark Gimien has a recent piece "In Defense of Google Books" which describes the benefits and goes on to debunk some of the myths that have been circulating with great clarity and is well worth reading. Another is a letter to the Financial Time"Booklovers should cheer Google’s plan" from David Balto a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former Policy Director of the Federal Trade Commission. These should offer a better understanding of what’s at stake. I also wanted to include some broad information about the Settlement and why it seems a very positive step. Take a moment to review the points. Romance may not be on the front lines of what is at issue, but the principal affects us all, and we need to stand together: Millions of copyright-protected books are out of print and largely out of reach, available only through the largest research libraries in the country. The Google Book Settlement announced in October 2008–the result of 30 months of negotiations between and among authors, publishers, university libraries and Google–changes all that, working a revolution in the access to knowledge. If approved by the court, the settlement will: • Provide readers and researchers with access to millions of out-of-print books, many of which are currently difficult or impossible for readers to obtain, in a searchable online database. • Turn every public library building in the U.S. into a world-class research facility by providing free access to the online portal of out-of-print books. • Permit any college or university in the U.S. to subscribe to the same rich database of out-of-print books. • Give new commercial life to millions of books, while protecting the economic rights of authors and publishers. If not approved by the court, the litigation between AAP, the Authors Guild and Google may continue for years, and with a great risk that authors and publishers will have no effective means to stop the widespread use of copyrighted material that is likely to follow. I. Benefits for Readers and Researchers The settlement unlocks a vast archive of out-of-print books, providing readers and researchers with far greater access to books than ever before. Access at your public library. The settlement turns every library into a world-class research facility, by offering every public library building in the U.S.–all 16,500 of them–a free online portal to millions of out-of-print books. Access at colleges and universities. The settlement offers students and teachers in even the smallest and most remote American colleges and universities access, through institutional subscriptions, to millions of books previously available only in the largest academic libraries in the country. Faculty members and students will be able to tap into this library from their offices and dorm rooms. Access at your computer. Anyone online in the U.S. will have free “preview” access to hundreds of millions of pages of text (up to 20% of each book). Review hundreds of accounts of the Battle of Vicksburg, or of the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, or of the sources and interpretation of Moby Dick, at no charge. Find one book particularly compelling? Buy access to the entire book. Access to public domain books is free, of course, and authors controlling the rights to their books can choose to give away access for free. II. Benefits for Authors and Publishers Out of print books have value, but that value is lost to the market and to authors and publishers. The settlement breathes new commercial life into out-of-print books, while leaving the existing market for in-print books alone. Find new readers. Out-of-print books need no longer be relegated to the used book market. The settlement will make out-of-print works available to hundreds of millions of readers, through ad-supported previews, sales of online editions, and institutional subscriptions. If a book catches on, there will be sales data to prove it, which may create an opportunity to bring the work back into print in traditional form. In-print books are unaffected. A cardinal rule in the negotiations was not to disturb the market for in-print books. Titles that are in print won’t be made available through any of the means described in the settlement, unless the author and publisher expressly want them to be. A Book Rights Registry to protect rightsholders. A non-profit registry governed by authors and publishers will oversee the settlement on their behalf, to help make sure rightsholders receive the benefits they’re entitled to. (Sign up for the Registry by filing a claim at googlebooksettlement.com.) A fair share of revenues. 63% of gross revenues go to authors and publishers; Google keeps 37%. Funds will be paid to the Book Rights Registry, which will pay authors and publishers after retaining a modest administrative fee. If rights have reverted to authors, they will receive 100% of the rightsholder revenue. Unprecedented control for authors and publishers. Authors and publishers will manage their rights through an account management page at the Book Rights Registry. Authors who control rights to their works, for example, may choose to allow Google to display ad-supported previews of books, sell online editions (authors may set the price or let an algorithm do it for them), and license the work to colleges and universities, or they may choose to block all display uses. Authors can change their minds, at any time, with reasonable notice. What if a book comes back into traditional print? The rightsholder can then simply turn off all display uses, if it chooses, and permit the publisher to sell the work through standard retail outlets. Authors’ estates, too. Authors’ estates exercise the same rights as authors. At least $45 million in payments for unauthorized scanning. Any of Google’s digitizing of in-copyright books done before May 5, 2009 is considered unauthorized under the settlement. Google will pay to obtain a release of these copyright infringement claims. Under the settlement, Google will pay at least $60 and as much as $300 to rightsholders for each book that it scanned without authority, for a total payment to rightsholders of at least $45 million. III. Benefits for All Viable Market. The settlement creates a viable economic structure for a new digital market of on-line access to out-of-print and lesser known works. Encourages competition. The settlement encourages competition by making non-exclusive all the rights granted to Google in the Agreement and by empowering the Book Rights Registry to negotiate arrangements with Google’s competitors. Well, if you've gotten this far, congratulations and thank you! I want to continue to inform and clarify this issue for the community. We need educated advocates to support this important step. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 18th, 2009
1:18 am	Do you make Lists? Well, in addition to "To Buy" lists or the more mundane "To Do" lists? Years ago I created another kind of list & recently revived it. The summer after high school graduation, a girlfriend & I decided to travel and settled on hitchhiking around England for a month. In addition to planning our itinerary, we also developed The List (as it applied to the UK). It contained things that we felt were quintessentially of the place, and enumerated things we wanted to have experienced before the holiday was over. The list "ingredients" didn't have to be difficult to achieve; that wasn't the issue. It was meant to measure what we felt was a true and full experience of a new environment. I can't remember the exact elements for the UK List, but it was things like: 1) eat fish & chips 2) see Buckingham Palace & the changing of the guards 3) drive in a London taxi cab 4) see someone in a kilt 5) visit a castle 6) see Shakespeare at Stratford-on-Avon 7) buy an umbrella 8) drive in a Rolls Royce 9) go to Hyde Park 10) be invited to tea... You get the picture. We would argue and add things to the list as their quintessential-ness was discovered and determined. Recently I went on a road trip with the same friend some 35+ years later. She lives in Alabama, so we went on a trip around the area. I found myself creating a list--it sort of was made as it happened instead of beforehand. But we argued through the essentialness of the ingredients, and I think we pulled together a good collection. I realize it is a girl list. You boys will just have to work on your own. Here it is: The Deep South List: 1) Receive an Unsolicited Greeting (i.e. hello) My friend didn't think this should count as a key indicator of Southern-ness. I really had to explain that NO-ONE in New York would say hello to a stranger walking down the street--you'd think they were pan-handling. 2) Courtly Solicitation #1 was men & women; this is just for women--Male interactions with females are often touched with a decorous flirtation, a sense of 'Southern Charm,' an awareness and appreciation of your femaleness, e.g. 'I always stop for pretty girls,' or have door held for you.. 3) Bitten by Ants Apparently, this is standard. I can vouch for it happening. 4) Drive on a dirt road; visit a farm/meet a farmer; wait for Cows to clear the road The South has its share of cities and industry, but rural South seemed quintessentially Southern, not found elsewhere, and needed to be experienced. I didn't get a photo of him, but our farmer was driving a tractor...not unlike the one pictured on the billboard below... 5) Roadside Attractions One of the carved living tree in Tinglewood, ALA and Bourbon St. New Orleans, LA 6) Breakfast with Good Ole Boys, eat Grits with Unidentified butterlike substance OK, he's not a Good Ole Boy, he's the god of the forge, Vulcan, who presides over Birmingham, ALA. Magnificent, isn't he? And I know you're distracted, but really, there's no butter in the South. My grits came with a pat proudly announcing it was 40% margarine. It never told me what the other 60% was and I was too scared to ask.... 7) Tea: Sweet/Unsweet Well, I may have to make an exception for New Orleans, where it was hard to find anyone who'd give me sweet tea--it was all DIY. You do have to specify "Hot tea" if that's your preference, as tea = ice tea. 8) Being asked where you come from Yes, this would also be on a California list--but it's just not Northeast in my experience & always startles me & reminds me I am somewhere away from home. In some parts of the South, I am sure you are asked where you are going--i.e. which grave yard will you be joining--to better understand your status. Location, location, location. 9) y'all 10) Cotton fields Well, I hadn't thought of posting while I was traveling, so didn't take appropriate photos, just captured a few things that appealed. Here's a a rather remarkable ironwork cornstalk fence in New Orleans. 11) Church signage with admonishions, instructions, information about Jesus I regret not having photographed some of the Church signage: you have to see it to get it. Here's one man's front yard sculpture--it captures some of the spirit. And here we are with our trusty black bug at the end of the trip. Think of the photo as modern art, creating a sense of immediacy and motion (and covering any bad hair or poor clothing choices). Since we created out list as we went, we were sure to accomplish every one. Do you make lists? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 4th, 2009
9:49 pm	The Final Four of Everything... The Bracketology book: The Final Four of Everything is out now with my contribution on Best American Romances. As I don't profit from the sales, I figure it's OK to be excited about it. I had solicited your opinions and am indebted to many for their thoughtful, challenging and helpful responses (I also post on other blogs and asked my Facebook friends to help!). The Bracketology concept is simply taking what we see every year with the NCAA Basketball playoffs: selecting the top 32 teams & pairing them against each other to get to Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, the Final Four and then the two top players' final match to declare a winner and applying it to things other than basketball. Bracketology is a great decision-making tool, a fund of entertaining argument (you may recall in Diner, the pitting of Sinatra Vs Mathis for who offered the best "music to make-out to," clearly a Bracketology moment) and it's a great way to clarify your own thinking. Check out p.114 to see where the world of American Romance Novel's square off. I tried to capture samples from what I saw as significant sub-genres (romantic comedies, futuristic, inspirational, time-travel, multi-cultural, etc.) If you don't like the choices and didn't help out, then you have only yourself to blame! And hey--it (and I) even got mentioned in the May 12 New York Times Paper Cuts by Gregory Cowles. This book takes the Bracketology concept further, to 150 different segments. Check out categories like Movie Gunfights, Lousy Husbands, Celebrity Mugshots, First Ladies, Untimely Deaths. It's a great compilation from some impressive experts: Roz Chast, Manohla Dargis, Mary Matalin, Henry Beard and Christopher Cerf, A.O. Scott, and of course me. It's guaranteed to make you think, disagree, and want to use the method to build your own version. There's a blank sample to fill in in the book. But also, the publisher, Simon & Schuster, has created a truly fabulous site. You can amend the existing brackets or make you own--which are posted and can be send to friends and foes alike. Check it out--you'll never think about your preferences in the same way again! Enjoy! (Comment on this)
Friday, April 3rd, 2009
9:43 am	Trees My childhood reading of Greek mythology and the Narnia books has meant trees are always magical to me. I love them in the winter, when no leaves obscure the beauty and remarkable uniqueness of their shape--each branch drawing a different line against the sky, gnarly, delicate, twiggy, smooth and reaching for the heavens. So Spring is bittersweet, bringing a future of rustling bushy green blobs. But Washington, D.C. offers such a feast of spring attire, I thought I'd share. Sure, you've likely heard of the Cherry Blossoms, but D.C. is a citywide feast of flowering trees. Here are a few favorites in my neighborhood: I don't know what kind this is at 3236 N St NW--it has little snowball blossoms. I love this Weeping Cherry at 3053 P St NW. Here it is again with its companion Tulip tree. The house is a lovely frame. The Tulip tree is beautiful against the gray stone of the Lutheran Church on Wisconsin Avenue and Volta Place. This little Weeping Cherry is very elegant at 3201 P St NW. I don't know what this red blossoming tree is at 3025 P St. NW, but it is bushy and enthusiastic. It kind of clashes with the painted red brick behind it, though. I fantasize about painting its companion house a dark cream... Another Tulip tree by St John's Church on O St and Potomac NW. Technically they're called a Tulip Magnolia and are a hybrid. When they lose their petals, the sidewalks can get a bit slimey. Yes, this ebullient row of Apple (maybe) borders the Georgetown Safeway Parking Lot. No one told them they should be dressing down for the environment. Here is an alley beside 1235 Potomac St NW that started me off on this post. Just to remind us that "beauty is its own excuse for being" (Emerson) and that trees don't need a proper setting or occasion, they just do their job wherever they are. And I appreciate that. (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, March 28th, 2009
6:19 pm	Information about the Google Settlement The Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the Author's Guild launched a lawsuit against Google. Below is some background and information that might impact you. Authors need to be notified about the Google Litigation Settlement Agreement. In October 2008, AAP announced that a Settlement Agreement had been reached which, upon court approval, would resolve the two pending Google Book Search copyright infringement lawsuits – a class action suit brought against Google by the Authors Guild, and a separate suit brought against Google by five AAP members supported by AAP. Because it resolves a class action lawsuit, the Settlement Agreement, if approved, will affect the rights of all book authors, book publishers and other persons – both inside and outside the United States – who own a U.S. copyright interest in books or certain other copyrighted works that Google, without permission, has scanned or may scan and display. It is important that such “class members” receive timely notice of the Settlement Agreement so they may exercise their rights and options, including whether to opt out of the settlement or, if not, claim their books. With AAP, the Authors Guild and Google are coordinating notice efforts to ensure that their combined actions will satisfy the class action legal requirement to provide “the best notice practicable under the circumstances, including individual notice to all members who can be identified through reasonable effort.” This is an effort to provide direct notice of the Settlement Agreement to authors and direct them to the official settlement website at http://www.googlebooksettlement.com. Please pass this on to anyone you feel might be impacted or interested. Thanks for your help. (Comment on this)
Sunday, February 15th, 2009
12:48 pm	HQE Press Release: To create a series of Mystery Case Files books & Harlequin Presents games Wanted to share a Harlequin Press Release, FYI... Market leaders to create a series of Mystery Case Files books and Harlequin Presents games Toronto and Seattle, January 23, 2009—Harlequin Enterprises Limited, the global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction, and Big Fish Games™, the world’s leading online destination for games and interactive entertainment, today announced a new licensing partnership. In the summer of 2009, Big Fish Games will begin publishing interactive games inspired by Harlequin Presents, the most popular romance-novel series in the world, which regularly tops eRetailer and retail bookstore bestseller lists. These games will be sold on line exclusively at www.bigfishgames.com and at all major retail stores. In the second quarter of 2010, Harlequin will begin publishing a branded series of books inspired by Mystery Case Files®, Big Fish Games’ award-winning franchise with over 3 million units sold. These novels will be written by Harlequin’s bestselling authors. Harlequin will be the first to publish women’s mystery fiction for Big Fish Games. “We are delighted to be Big Fish Games’ partner in this venture,” said Donna Hayes, Publisher and CEO of Harlequin Enterprises. “Our companies share vast and rapidly growing female audiences. Our partnership with Big Fish Games will allow us to engage our customers in a truly unique manner.” “The Harlequin and Big Fish Games brands are an excellent match,” said Jeremy Lewis, President and CEO of Big Fish Games. “Harlequin has a uniquely talented team, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with them in bringing these exclusive new products to our worldwide consumer base.” In 2008, Harlequin sold 130 million books and enjoyed a total of 252 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. Almost half of all romance readers read Harlequin, and the company has some 13 million series readers. Harlequin sold a book every 4.1 seconds in 2008 and has sold 5.76 billion books since its inception. Also in 2008, Big Fish Games served its global customer base nearly 400 million games. About Harlequin Enterprises Limited Harlequin Enterprises Limited is the global leader in series romance and one of the world’s leading publishers of women’s fiction, with titles issued worldwide in 29 languages and sold in 107 international markets. The company produces more than 120 titles monthly and publishes more than 1,200 authors from around the world. Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation, a broadly based media company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TS.B). Harlequin’s Web site is located at www.eHarlequin.com. Harlequin has offices in 19 countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more information please visit www.eHarlequin.com or press.eHarlequin.com. About Big Fish Games Big Fish Games is the world’s leading online destination for games and interactive entertainment. Based in Seattle, Washington, Big Fish Games offers “A New Game Every Day™”. Big Fish Games works with more than 500 game developers and distributes over 1 million games per day to consumers worldwide. Big Fish Games Studios develops and publishes some of the industry’s leading brands, including Mystery Case Files®, Hidden Expedition®, Azada™ and Fairway Solitaire™. For more information, please visit www.mysterycasefiles.com and www.bigfishgames.com. (Comment on this)
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
7:15 pm	Harlequin: Celebrating 60 years of pure reading pleasure - 60 years - 5.8 billion books sold - 2,700 authors - 34,000 titles - 640 bestseller placements - 1 Publisher To thank our many readers for taking Harlequin into your hearts and homes for 60 years and making us the world’s leading publisher of romantic fiction, Harlequin is giving every woman in America a free book. In fact, we’re giving away 16 free Books that you can download from our website, starting January 29! Please share this giveaway with friends, family, neighbors – and with that colleague or acquaintance you know would love a romance if she (or he!) would just read one.... Here's a list of the free books: Harlequin Harlequin American Romance, Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren Harlequin Blaze, Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly Harlequin Historical, His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls Harlequin Intrigue, Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels Harlequin Presents, Price of Passion by Susan Napier Harlequin Romance, The Bride’s Baby by Liz Fielding Harlequin Superromance, Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson Silhouette Silhouette Desire, Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child Silhouette Nocturne, Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Stranded with a Spy by Merline Lovelace Silhouette Special Edition, Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne Steeple Hill Love Inspired Love Inspired, A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight Love Inspired Historical, Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart Love Inspired Suspense, Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry Kimani Kimani Romance, Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson Nascar Nascar, Speed Dating by Nancy Warren You have to admit that is one compelling line up of great authors and great stories--something for everyone! You can download the books as a PDF or as an eBook. Moreover, in a couple of weeks you will be able to download a version for your iPhone. Harlequin has a lot more celebrating planned throughout the year for their 60th anniversary including: The Harlequin Famous Firsts Collection: – In March, June and September, look for reissues of some of the very first series books written by current New York Times bestselling writers, The Heart of a Woman: - Harlequin Cover Art 1949-2009: Harlequin is sponsoring and exhibition of original cover art at the Openhouse Gallery, May 29 to June 12 in New York City. Series Spotlight: – Every month a different series is in the spotlight. Look for diamond-themed miniseries, series stars and more from all the Harlequin and Silhouette lines. Little did Richard and Mary Bonnycastle know what they were starting 60 years ago when they founded Harlequin, but we’ve been satisfying women’s desire for romance, speaking to their hearts and transporting them beyond themselves ever since. With hopes of continuing to touch your heart and share stories that will inspire, comfort and delight you in the years to come! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
6:12 pm	2009 Bloggies--Voting ends February 2nd! Suzanne McMinn not only writes for Silhouette Romantic Suspense, but is also one of my fairy blogmothers. Her blog, Chickens in the Road, is a finalist in the 2009 Bloggies, which apparently is like the Oscars of the blog world with top blogs nominated in various categories—it's a fun and interesting list. If you are reading this blog (just a wild guess) you should be voting on the Bloggies, because you clearly know great blogging. And according to Suzanne, hers is the only romance writer's blog to ever be a finalist in the Bloggies. Which is very cool. When you get to the Bloggies 2009 site, the scroll is to the right rather than down. She's a finalist in the Best-Kept Secret Weblog category (fairly far to the right). Voting ends Feb. 2nd. You can vote once per email address. Suzanne's website is suzannemcminn.com with info there as well. Get out and Vote! (Comment on this)
Monday, January 26th, 2009
10:24 am	In Memoriam I wanted to share an excerpt from "A Memorial to the Men of the Yale College, Class of 1918 Who Died in the Service of Their Country, 1917-1918" New Haven 1924, compiled for the Class by Cassius Marcellus Clay and Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis. I found it not only touching but also remarkable as a piece of writing by a young man of perhaps 27—Robert Emerson McClure—about a friend who had died before he'd reached 21. It seemed a compelling example of what can be done with a few words to make a person and an era come to life. Frank Stuart Patterson: born September 3, 1897, Dayton, Ohio; Died June 19 1918, Dayton, Ohio. He was very tall—over six feet three, I think—and he had the figure of a young frontiersman: very long and sinewy arms and legs, a slouching walk with head thrust slightly forwards, a small face, finely sensitive. He was, I think, secretly proud of the fact that nearly everything he wore and used was oversized and in most cases made to his order: his furniture, his bed, his shoes, his shirts, that fabulous leather sofa which was probably the largest affair ever coaxed into a Yale dormitory room. And I have always thought of him as oversized in soul as well, as unique in all his spiritual measurements. I do not mean that his was a case for superlatives only; he was after all but a boy when he left New Haven; a boy on that day some thirteen months later when he plunged to death. He was one of the youngest men in our class, and one of the most boyish and fun-loving; devoted to sports, pathetically afraid of girls and in his quiet way, capable of ardent enthusiasms. These included baseball, trap-shooting, hunting, motoring, firearms, boxing, winter sports, the theatre and among books, Conrad, Kipling, Robert W. Service and stories of Western adventure—particularly tales of "two-fisted, gun-toting bad men," which he read clandestinely and cherished as a secret vice. I mention these tastes because they always seemed to me characteristic of a type of romantic idealism grounded on a love of outdoor life—an idealism very youthful, very charming, and curiously frequent in those sprung from pioneer stock; also because they reveal an essential quality of Stuart Patterson's shy, quiet, rather inarticulate spirit; and finally because they contrasted, in their youthfulness, with the astonishing maturity of his attitude toward less material things. I say maturity—his tolerance was mature, and his austere faith in all the elemental virtues: honor and cleanliness, fair play, courage, self-restraint. He was one of the purest men I have ever known, and the farthest from priggishness or cant. His was a fundamental decency, as instinctive as the act of breathing. His ideals of conduct were part and parcel of his heritage, like the strength of his wrists and his will; and they enabled him to see things simply, clearly, sanely. To make up him mind as to the right or wrong of a question without wavering or equivocation. Others had Calvinistic standards; in Stuart Patterson they went hand in hand with charity of mind. Making no truce with weakness in himself, he was yet quick to allow generously for it in others. I remember his dislike of dogmatism in any form, and his invariable insistence of "hearing the other side." In three years' close association, I never heard Stu Patterson play the bigot or snob; never knew him to miss an opportunity to help another in distress, whether that distress were physical or moral or financial; never saw him betrayed by disappointment into envy or meanness of any kind. His patent to spiritual nobility was unobtrusive, but he carried it with him in his daily life, and it was honored by all who knew him well. He would have made a notable record in the war. To a superlative degree, he had the qualities that go to make a great aviator—coolness in danger, presence of mind, self-reliance, a sense of tactics, a contempt for death. Long before our entrance into the conflict, he longed to go; and I think it was from a hope of later service, as much as his attraction to flying as a sport, that he took his pilot's license in the summer of 1916. When war came, he was among the first to leave New Haven. But it is his life, rather than his death, I would recall; a life singularly pure, and generous, and noble; a life not lived, nor even lost, in vain. — — — This new year brings loss as well as new goals and possibilities. I was inspired to share the above on hearing from Robert Guntrum that his wife, author Suzanne Simmons Guntrum, had passed away on December 28th, suddenly, of a heart attack. I worked with Sue when she wrote for Silhouette Desire many years ago and we have remained friends ever since. How I wish there was "audiography"—that is an audio equivalent of a photograph. Something that would allow you to take an audio snapshot of someone, so I could hear Sue again. One of the most memorable aspects of Sue for me, was not just what she said, but how she said it. Her voice—not quite husky, not really midwestern, but some remarkable amalgam of some combination of something. She would share her thoughts with a comic's sense of tone and timing, a quick wit, charm and combined a sense of pragmatism with an appreciation of the ridiculous. Unafraid to say what she thought. Always willing to hear your point of view. I will miss her. I try to remember that the scope of your loss is the gift you were given. I am glad I appreciated it while I had it. Indeed may we all look forward to the coming year with a renewed sense of appreciation and delight at what we have. Right here. Right now. (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, January 15th, 2009
7:52 pm	January 1st Marks the Preliminary Launch of HarlequinCelebrates.com To celebrate 60 years of pure reading pleasure, Harlequin will make 16 full books available for download on HarlequinCelebrates.com beginning January 29th – our anniversary! For the month of January, a teaser site has been created where people can sign up to receive a reminder to come back for the unveiling of the full anniversary site and to download free books. Visit HarlequinCelebrates.com to sign up for your reminder! And if you want to learn more about what's happening in digital at Harlequin, check out Tote Bags 'n' Blogs January 14th post: Sneak Peek at Exclusive Digital Publishing from Harlequin by Malle Vallik. Lots of good info there! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, January 1st, 2009
2:22 pm	A New Year's Treat: what's really under that Kilt? (Warning: Racy content!) A friend emailed me these photos. I don't know the etiquette—don't know where they came from, who took them, who the subjects are (aside of true kilt-wearers). But it was such a lovely photo essay—one that so clearly indicated the proper way to wear a kilt (along with some gaffe's and some clear gaps in lessons learned on "how to sit cross-legged in a skirt")—that I just had to share. I remember with the success of Liam Neeson in Rob Roy, I got phone calls from journalists asking "Did you know that men in skirts were romantic?" Duh! I responded: "Men in skirts, men wrapped in bedsheets—Scots, Sheiks, we are on it. Wake up!" Enjoy: This one is my favorite. I keep searching his face to see if this was planned... He seems rather vacuously cheerful—and surely there are easier ways to lose your job—though perhaps he needed his 15 minutes of fame. Still...!!!???!!! Now you know. Happy New Year! (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, November 3rd, 2008
3:28 pm	Helpful hints on presetations... Guest posting today, November 3, 2008 on Tote Bags 'n' Blogs on some presentation tips... (Comment on this)
Friday, October 31st, 2008
11:20 am	AAP, Authors Guild, Google Announce GroundbreakingSettlement over Google Book Search Library Project I wanted to share with you the recent press release and annoucement regarding a tentative settlement (pending court approval) regarding the lawsuits brought by the Associate of American Publishers and a class action suit by the Author's Guild against Google. This is a highly complex issue with strong opinions in every direction! Put perhaps overly simplisticly, these organizations actions were in response to Google's plans to digitize copyrighted material (entire books) without the right's holder's permission. I wanted to share this information, and the material below was taken from and is available on the AAP website. It has been a very long and arduous process to get to this agreement. I applaud the participants and I think it is a remarkable and positive step that will significantly benefit all parties. October 28, 2008 AAP, Authors Guild, Google Announce GroundbreakingSettlement over Google Book Search Library Project On October 28, 2008, AAP announced a groundbreaking settlement agreement in the Google litigation that will expand access to out-of-print books online for millions of American readers, allow rightsholders, if they wish, to include in-print books, and will create a mechanism for payments to authors and publishers by establishing a Books Rights Registry. AAP President and CEO Pat Schroeder stated "AAP is proud to have been a part of the process that has produced this historic, landmark agreement. We believe this settlement, the product of many years’ hard work, is a great 21st Century solution." For More Information: Press Release Joint FAQ Settlement Documents Statement from AAP Chairman Richard Sarnoff Settlement Website(Google) Author's Guild Website Past Coverage: Click here to view the full complaint from 2005 (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
11:31 pm	The Great American Romance Novel... I've agreed to help a friend (not HQE) with a project to create a list of the best American Romances of all time, and I need your expertise, if you're willing to share it.  1). So tell me, what would be your top ten American romances of all time be? (it can be more than ten, if you're inspired). While I'd love to see them ranked and have you tell me why you made the choices you did, just a list of titles/authors would be great. 2). I also want to include a range of categories within the genre: i.e. Contemporaries, Historicals, Paranormal, Futuristic, Fantasy, Westerns, Civil War, Saga, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Comedy, Multi-cultural, Inspirational, etc., so welcome your favorites in a particular category you're fond of. What do I mean by American? Well, an American author or one living in America. What do I mean by Romance? Basically a focus on the developing romantic relationship between a man and a woman with a satisfying and positive ending.   Yes, there are some stories out there that don't entirely fit that definition that I plan to include--I have to include GONE WITH THE WIND.  While it doesn't have a traditional happy ending (HEA), I've decided that (dreadful sequels aside) we know in our hearts the book stops, but the story is far from over. S o while I'd say a firm "no" to, say, LOVE STORY, I dowant to hear your favorites, just alert me to any caveats or concerns about fit that you might have.   So would love to hear your thoughts to ensure this list is a stellar collection of truly wonderful stories. Thank you! Isabel (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008
10:48 pm	Harlequin Podcasts I'd been meaning to do a post on the Harlequin Podcasts. I'm proud to say I've learned how to use an iPod, I've discovered the many free podcasts available on iTunes and have discovered the joys of hands-free, eyes-free 'reading.' Then I saw Michelle Styles' excellent post on Leena Hart's Tote Bags 'n' Blogs . Well, I thought it was a great presentation of the podcasts from a perfect source--a published author. Michelle and Leena kindly agreed to let me post Michelle's excellent piece, so here it is! Until earlier this year, I will admit that I was only vaguely aware of podcasts and podcasting. However, then Harlequin began to put editorial podcasts on its website and I started to listen. And a new procrastination tool was born. You can download them to an ipod or you can do as I do and listen via your computer. The editorial podcasts are basically two editors talking in depth about one particular line. Each podcast lasts between 20-40 minutes. They are not only interesting from a writer's point of view but also from a reader's point of view. Ultimately they are a masterclass in what each line is about.The editors have tried to explain what televisions shows/movies the line is most like. Romance used Love Actually to sum up the line -- lots of stories each month but each being about love. SSE chose Brothers and Sisters. At the moment, the recent podcasts have been from the London office. So Senior Editor Tessa Shapcott and Editor Sally Williamson explained the differences between Modern and Modern Heat as well as the difference between Presents and Presents Extra. Presents Extra are grouped around a specific theme. And they talked about titling and why titles are chosen the way they are. With the Historical podcast, Sr Editor Linda Fildew and editor Joanne Carr talked about popular time periods, themes and heroes. In the most recent podcast on Harlequin Romance, sr editor Kim Young and editor Meg Lewis dispel some of the myths about the Romance line as well as explaining what it is about the line that makes it so special. They also explained that within the line secondary characters provide flavouring. This is different from some of the other lines where secondaries play key roles. Medicals should be coming up soon. Earlier podcasts included ones on Nocturne, Blaze, Superromance, Intrigue, Special Edition, Desire etc. And the intention is to do all the lines. For me, it has been an education in what makes up series romance, plus I have discovered several new authors. And as it is sort of working, I can justify the listening. I know when I listened to the historical podcast, I came away with a ton of notes about how my latest books could be improved. And in several places, I thought -- ah that is what my editor meant when she said xyz. Has anyone else listened to the podcasts? Or does anyone know about any other good podcasts? Thank you Michelle! (2 Comments |Comment on this)