Sounds like a bad horror flick, right?
I've spent a great deal of time reading articles and blog posts since Harlequin made the announcement that they'd created Harlequin Horizons: A self-publishing division of Harlequin Enterprises. And the news is not good. There has been an outcry of disgust from far and wide condemning this new branch of the romance industry's founding father. It's been condemned by RWA, MWA, SFWA and HWA. Yes it's that bad.
As an author, my first reaction to the news ran the gamut from horrified disappointment to sympathy for the suckers who would plop down money for Harlequin to screw them just because they wanted to see their book in print. Believe me, I've been there. When you finish a manuscript there is nothing you want more in this world than to see it in print. But an author should never have to pay money out of pocket to anyone in the publishing industry. Run fast the other way if anyone ever asks you for money upfront. This includes agents, editorial services, or publishing houses. It's BAD. MONEY SHOULD FLOW TOWARD THE AUTHOR. Period.
Anyway, there's nothing I could say that would explain how bad the situation is with Harlequin Horizons better than this blog post. READ IT!
http://www.falconesse.com/2009/11/21/harlequin-horizons-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-deal/comment-page-1/#comment-7364
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