There has been a lot discussion about Harlequin Enterprises forming a new a vanity/subsidy press, Harlequin Horizons. The publishing company states they are only trying to help aspiring authors - who can’t get published by the traditional publishing houses - to get their books into print or in ebook format with a select package. This package will cost the author a certain fee that the traditional publisher would normally pay. However, the author would have their printed book in their actual hands, give them out to their family members, etc. And I believe, in return, Harlequin would also take 50% of the royalities for any books sold along with the orignal fee.

Packages start from $599 and go up to $4499 which is the VIP Publicists.

I have also heard this morning, SFWA and MWA have taken Harlequin Publishing off their “Approved Publishers” list because of this new division.

I know a lot of authors are upset, feeling like Harlequin is trying to rip off aspiring authors, preying on their hopes and dreams so the company can earn more money. It also has a snowball effect for RWA contest entries for established Harlequin authors, etc.

However, there is a flip side to everything. If you take into consideration how much money aspiring authors spend on conferences and writing contests solely for the advantage of meeting a NY editor for a pitch session or getting their work in front of them. The chances of getting a contract to get your manuscript into print is very small. I won’t go into the millions of reasons why editors don’t pick up someones work over another. I’m looking at this in monetary value.

On average, and I am generalizing, conferences will run into the thousands, and that is just for the off-chance to meet with an editor. With no guarantees your book will be published.

Harlequin is taking out the conference revolving doors with editor appointments. Instead of thousands of dollars going to conferences to meet them, an aspiring author can put that money into Horizons, and go straight to getting their books into print and onto the bookstores shelves.

Having said that, I don’t agree with the royalty rate. I believe the fee should cover everything. The author should get at least 90% royalties, and Harelquin Horizons should use the fee as an ongoing service to get those books onto the shelves, no matter what. To me, that would seem more fair.

So the question is, after viewing the pros & cons - is Harelquin taking advantage of desperate aspiring authors to make a quick buck?

Hmm, the jury is still out. This romance author is sitting on the fence, patiently chewing a piece of straw while the storm brews overhead.

Lyn