1. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Despite an extensive “Save the Toad” campaign, Disney’s Magic Kingdom replaced Mr. Toad with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

2. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
One of the original attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, 20,000 Leagues closed in 1994 and has been partially replaced by a Winnie the Pooh playground and Disney character meet & greet area.

3. If You Had Wings
Sponsored by Eastern Airlines, If You Had Wings was one of the few rides at Disney’s Magic Kingdom that rarely drew a line. It was replaced by If You Could Fly in 1987 and now Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin stands on the site.

4. Captain EO
A big-budget 3-D movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Captain EO starred Michael Jackson and Anjelica Huston. It closed down in 1994 and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience now stands on the site in Future World at Epcot.

5. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
This thrilling attraction opened at the site of the former Mission to Mars in Tomorrowland in 1995. ExtraTERRORestrial gained a cult following but has since been replaced by Stitch’s Great Escape.

6. World of Motion
Sponsored by General Motors, World of Motion was one of Epcot’s original attractions. The ride offered a humorous look at the history of transportation and closed in 1996 to make way for Test Track.

7. Who Wants to be a Millionaire – Play It!
Based on the hit ABC TV show starring Regis Philbin, this Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) attraction closed in 2006 along Mickey Avenue.

8. Plaza Swan Boats
Opened in 1973, the D-ticket Plaza Swan Boats embarked from two Magic Kingdom load docks: one near the entrance to Tomorrowland and the other near the Plaza Restaurant. The Plaza Swan Boats stopped running in 1983.

9. Mickey Mouse Revue
One of the Magic Kingdom’s original attractions, Mickey Mouse Revue opened in Fantasyland in 1971 and featured an audio-animatronic orchestra of popular Disney characters singing such classics as “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee.” The Mickey Mouse Revue closed in 1980 and was shipped to Tokyo Disneyland. Mickey’s PhilharMagic now occupies the site.

10. Flight to the Moon
Hosted by Mr. Tom Morrow, this “state-of-the-art” Tomorrowland attraction opened on Christmas Eve 1971 and became hopelessly outdated by 1975 when it was replaced by Mission to Mars. Stitch’s Great Escape now occupies the site.

HONORABLE MENTION: Horizons
This Epcot ride made its debut in 1983 and closed in 1999 to make way for Mission: SPACE. Horizons has developed somewhat of a cult following over the years, although I remember it as a rather mediocre Future World attraction that dated very quickly.

Source: Disney World Graveyard

Here is my little friend Ignatius, who sits on my desk at work and cheers me year round. Every year at Christmas, he dons his gay apparel and greets anyone foolish enough to traverse the corridor to my office. I thought I’d share his special holiday cheer with all of you.

I don’t know what kind of animal Ignatius was, but he was found one day in the woods, lost and alone. I know he’s happy now, because he’s always smiling. He keeps me company while I catalog books and scour the web for this week’s lunch hour links for writers.

This week we’re looking at a lot of posts on self-publishing, print-on-demand (aka POD publishing), vanity presses and the like. Unfortunately, some of our readers who are in favor of self-publishing may be offended, because I didn’t see a lot of posts advocating self-publishing. I try to be impartial and give you an opportunity to make up your mind about these issues, so if you know of some links advocating self-publishing with facts and figures, let me know.

Of course, all this commotion was set off by the Harlequin/Horizons (now Horizons is being called DellArte) fiasco from last week. Author Jackie Kessler has a great breakdown of what is wrong with Harlequin’s reasoning in her post Harlequin Horizons versus RWA.

You might want to get your feet wet on the subject with Jane Smith’s post at How Publishing Really Works where she declares Max Dunbar is her new best friend. Then follow her link to Dunbar’s post on The Great Underground Myth: Why Self Publishing Doesn’t Work.

Once you’ve absorbed some of the terminology, go to a highly recommended post from literary agents Carolyn and Ashley Grayson of the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency. Their post, Hyatt Has No Reservations, answers issues raised by Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson, who tried to explain Why Agents May Be Opposed to Self-Publishing. The link to Hyatt’s post is also in the Grayson post, so you don’t have to come back here for it. Both posts are lengthy, but well worth the read.

J.A. Konrath gives a dollars and cents view of the self-publishing experience where he generously shares his Kindle Numbers: Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing. There is a caveat, though, Konrath is only talking about his e-book figures, not print, so read his post with that in mind.

If you’re curious about book sales for a debut writer, head over to Writer Unboxed and read JC Hutchins’ informative post on Debrief: A Month into My Novel’s Lifecycle.

On the business side of writing, literary agent Chip MacGregor has a really nice post writer’s platforms with his article What is a Platform?

Follow up MacGregor’s post and visit my friend Jonathan Danz, who Got Thinking about Jeff Vandermeer’s post on author platforms. You can see links to Vandermeer’s posts and a short video on Jonathan’s site.

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

We’ve talked quite a bit about editing and revising manuscripts, but this link tweeted by @inkyelbows is great. It’s an excerpt from Kate Greenville’s book, The Writing Book, and the excerpt is entitled How Much Should You Revise?

At the BubbleCow blog is a great series on being a proactive writer. Here is the third post in that series Proactive Writer: Embrace Technology (links are there for the previous two articles in the series).

Nathan Bransford has a post on How to Respond to a Manuscript Critique/Editorial Letter. His advice holds true whether you are working on revisions prior to publication or if you’re working through revisions suggested by your critique group. 

Hey, hey! One of my pet peeves is proven correct. Thank goodness for the Oxford comma, and Maeve Maddox shows you how to wield it with uncommon grace in her post, The Serial Comma is OK With Me.

Charlie Jane Anders has put together some valuable advice from published authors on how to Bridge the Gap Between Two Cool Moments in Your Novel.

I’d also like to point out a new link in the sidebar to John Robert Marlow’s Self Editing Blog. He has some super articles there on technique and story structure.

FUN STUFF

This was just too good to resist, file it under your funny for the day, but in case you missed New Moon, there’s a great summary of the action (or lack thereof) here with Genevieve Valentine’s post, New Moon: The Bad, The Worse, and the WTF. Valentine also talks about some of the negative self-images young women may be receiving from Meyer’s novels.

Andris Zalitis sent a cool link to a nature sounds program he devised. If you need soothing nature noises to drive out the traffic and distractions, visit Nature Sounds for Me and experiment with his free nature sounds mixer.

Looking for that special gift for the hard to buy for dark fantasy/horror fiend, er, family member? Well go here and see Kerry Kate’s doll collection.

Yes sir, your little darlings will be enchanted when they find one of these cool dolls in their stockings come Christmas morn! I know I would!

Sick to death of Santa and those pesky elves on your Christmas cards? Too much holiday cheer and not enough drear? Well skip over to Lisa Mannetti’s Chancery House for some really cool holiday cards that will get you in the holiday spirits, er, spirit.

MORE NIBBLES AND LINKS

Jane Friedman at Writers’ Digest is back with the Writers’ Digest Best Tweets for Writers.

While I was off slacking, Andy Shackcloth was busy gathering some great links for his Sunday Wash-up. Bookmark Andy’s page where you can find great articles and the best links that he can find on the Internet.

That’s it for this week, and I certainly hope I haven’t forgotten anyone, but just in case roll through the sidebar and visit a few of the folks there.

Have a great week!

1. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Despite an extensive “Save the Toad” campaign, Disney’s Magic Kingdom replaced Mr. Toad with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

2. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
One of the original attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, 20,000 Leagues closed in 1994 and has been partially replaced by a Winnie the Pooh playground and Disney character meet & greet area.

3. If You Had Wings
Sponsored by Eastern Airlines, If You Had Wings was one of the few rides at Disney’s Magic Kingdom that rarely drew a line. It was replaced by If You Could Fly in 1987 and now Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin stands on the site.

4. Captain EO
A big-budget 3-D movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Captain EO starred Michael Jackson and Anjelica Huston. It closed down in 1994 and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience now stands on the site in Future World at Epcot.

5. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
This thrilling attraction opened at the site of the former Mission to Mars in Tomorrowland in 1995. ExtraTERRORestrial gained a cult following but has since been replaced by Stitch’s Great Escape.

6. World of Motion
Sponsored by General Motors, World of Motion was one of Epcot’s original attractions. The ride offered a humorous look at the history of transportation and closed in 1996 to make way for Test Track.

7. Who Wants to be a Millionaire – Play It!
Based on the hit ABC TV show starring Regis Philbin, this Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) attraction closed in 2006 along Mickey Avenue.

8. Plaza Swan Boats
Opened in 1973, the D-ticket Plaza Swan Boats embarked from two Magic Kingdom load docks: one near the entrance to Tomorrowland and the other near the Plaza Restaurant. The Plaza Swan Boats stopped running in 1983.

9. Mickey Mouse Revue
One of the Magic Kingdom’s original attractions, Mickey Mouse Revue opened in Fantasyland in 1971 and featured an audio-animatronic orchestra of popular Disney characters singing such classics as “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee.” The Mickey Mouse Revue closed in 1980 and was shipped to Tokyo Disneyland. Mickey’s PhilharMagic now occupies the site.

10. Flight to the Moon
Hosted by Mr. Tom Morrow, this “state-of-the-art” Tomorrowland attraction opened on Christmas Eve 1971 and became hopelessly outdated by 1975 when it was replaced by Mission to Mars. Stitch’s Great Escape now occupies the site.

HONORABLE MENTION: Horizons
This Epcot ride made its debut in 1983 and closed in 1999 to make way for Mission: SPACE. Horizons has developed somewhat of a cult following over the years, although I remember it as a rather mediocre Future World attraction that dated very quickly.

Source: Disney World Graveyard

A still tongue keeps a wise head.  So let’s get stupid.

Where do I begin? 

RWA History:

In 1980, 37 writers came together with a common goal of trying to find ways to grow their writing careers in romance fiction. At that time, there were very few writers groups or conferences, and those that existed largely ignored the romance genre. This group of 37 writers united together to create Romance Writers of America® (RWA).

A little Harlequin History:

Harlequin was founded in 1949 as a way to keep the presses busy at Richard Bonnycastle’s new place of employment by entering the burgeoning paperback business. In the 1950s, Harlequin came to be identified with romances set in medical settings in particular. In the late 1950s, Harlequin began a relationship with a leading British publisher identified with the genre, Mills & Boon, Limited. It was romance novels that sold best, and the company began to focus on them exclusively in 1964.

My Two Cents Worth

Harlequin, according, to a letter posted by Donna Hayes, CEO of Harlequin, has supported the RWA with editors, parties at the RWA conference, and yes funding.  Now Harlequin has lost its eligibility as an RWA-approved publisher because of a new self publishing venture.  Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! 

From my point of view, the RWA has become sort of a school yard bully since 1980.  Only authors in print can play and e-book authors, vanity press authors, and self publishing authors have to give up their milk money to stand over by the fence quietly watching everyone else have a great time. 

So my starting question is this:  Why the hell do e-book authors, vanity press authors, and self published authors give a damn about the RWA? Why is everyone so desperate for their approval? 

And what does all of this mean to readers of romance?  It means absolutely dick.  Most readers of romance don’t even know what the RWA is, nor do they care.  Harlequin readers aren’t going to suddenly stop reading Harlequin books.  Romance readers aren’t going to protest at local bookstores until Harlequin books are taken off the shelf.

 But alright, RWA is a group for authors not readers.  I get it.  But now I have another question:  How is Harlequin’s new venture, which seems to be one devised to make Harlequin money, any different than RWA having a magazine where they charge money for their members to advertise?  Advertise to other authors.  Not to the main readership of romance.  Nine hundred dollars plus however much the advertisement design cost to advertise to OTHER WRITERS. 

I read one comment on a blog where a noted print author posted that she didn’t like the idea of writers who didn’t have the same caliber writing skills getting published.  News for you honey.  You don’t have to worry about the vanity and self publishing presses, your own publishers do that already.  Last month, I bought five historical romance print books.  Two of those five were worth the reading.  The other three weren’t worth the paper they were printed on.

It would seem if RWA wanted to dictate to publishing companies for the “greater good”, they would dictate a level of quality so that readers like me wouldn’t contemplate having a neighborhood book burning for all the crap being published in print by RWA’s “approved” publishers.

On that same blog, I read several authors talking of rising against Harlequin to make a stand.  Okay first, good for you for wanting your voice to be heard.  And second, don’t be a fucking moron.  If you wish to make a stand, don’t submit to Harlequin.  Submit your manuscripts to some other publishing company that wants to make money off of you. 

Look people.  Writing is a business.  The business is in the publishing industry.  EVERY publisher is in it for the money.  They pick authors based on how many sales the books will bring in, how many dollars they make from each title. They start new lines because they see a way to make more money by highlighting a subgenre.  They start side companies to expand into other markets…to make money.  It’s all about making money.  Period.

The only sane response, I’ve seen all over Hell’s half acre worth reading is a statement from a group called EPIC, pointed out to me by The Deb.  They basically took a “we are NOT getting involved” stance, but put out there that they support all authors.  What’s this?  A group that actually supports ALL of its members?  WOW.  Inconceivable!

 The amy of amyanddeb

Note: Harlequin has changed the name of their new venture from Harlequin Horizons to DelArte Press.  Right on!  There’s more than one way to skin a cat!

…therein lies the rub.

Harlequin Horizons/DellArte Press v. RWA is a hot blog topic right now. Scathing accusations of unethical business practices, taking advantage of authors, and furthering self-interests are posted all over the internet—just Google it. I’m not including links here.

I understand RWA has by-laws to follow, but the danger of having so many rules, is that sometimes you have to follow them when logic and sensible thinking would have been  the better route. Rules often hinder rather than help.

With all this brouhaha, I’m interested in hearing from Harlequin Romance authors. Do they believe RWA is protecting their interests by kicking Harlequin out of what is essentially a writers group? I’m also curious why other writer’s groups such as MWA and SFWA are so upset or even have an opinion. Are they affected by Harlequin’s business decision to offer vanity and/or self-publishing options? (Yes, I am aware that vanity/self/subsidy/POD are not the same. There are other blogs of recent days that have covered that topic ad infinitum; I need not beat that dead horse.) People seem to want to ride the popular opinion bandwagon of condemning Harlequin, but there is one thing in life of which I am absolutely certain.

There are two sides to every issue.

It seems to me that Harlequin made a sales and marketing decision. If you, as a writer and/or author personally don’t approve of it, then don’t submit to Harlequin. There are plenty of other publishers out there. Writing is as personal as it is a business. Who are we to say what being published means to another person? If a writer wants to go the vanity and/or self-publishing route and Harlequin is offering a way to do that, why is it any of our business? Who are we to judge how another person achieves published status? Besides, there is a plethora of information available for writers to be forewarned and forearmed about all publishing options. Life is about choices and living with the results of those choices.

Harlequin began many years before RWA existed and even managed to function successfully without RWA and I’m willing to bet that it will continue without RWA just fine. If Harlequin becomes a rogue business as a result of this venture, so much the better for them. Any publicity is good publicity. Controversy breeds interest. Do readers care that writers groups and publishing houses are at odds? I think not.

It’s been suggested that boycotting Harlequin would teach it a lesson. Sounds like petulant junior high behavior to me, so my question is this, if you, as an unpublished writer or as an author not currently published with Harlequin, had the choice to be published with Harlequin Romance (not DellArte Press) or keep/continue membership in RWA, which would you choose? Really. Be honest. Which organization will likely do more for your writing career?

Even though RWA has by-laws to follow, RWA didn’t need to get its collective panties in a wad and throw a temper tantrum because Harlequin didn’t ask RWA’s permission to make its own business decisions (i.e. open discussion). Perhaps RWA believes its status as a writers group affords it the power, nay, the right, to dictate the marketing strategies of a business of which they are not affiliated, and their minions believe it as well.

So, RWA, by ostracizing Harlequin and it’s authors, have you been hoist with your own petard?

Inconceivable!

 The deb of amyanddeb

Well it’s still a few weeks away, but I thought I’d shout out early so you can mark your calendars. Robert Dunbar, author of The Pines, The Shore, and an anthology of short stories Martyrs & Monsters, will be coming to visit helluo librorum January 11, 2010! I really excited, because while Mr. Dunbar’s novels and short stories are moody and dark, he is a vibrant and witty gentleman. You’ll be hearing more about that interview as we approach the New Year, so stay tuned.

Whether you write romance novels or not, this week’s lead in the links is last week’s big news on the publishing front: the Harlequin self publishing venture, Horizons. If you want a balanced opinion on the piece with links to the more lively discussions across the web, you’re best served to start your research with Jane Friedman’s excellent post on Harlequin’s Self Publishing Venture. (Harlequin Horizons is now called DellArte Press.)

In other publishing news, St. Martin’s Press has devised a new category for marketing titles aimed at New Adults. The New Adult market is aimed at people between the ages of 20-30; those folks who are really too old for YA, but not old enough for . . . well for whatever comes after New Adult. Jodi Meadows is excited about the venture, and she has a most excellent Interview with S. Jae-Jones on New Adult. 

Personally, I fall into the Jaded Bitch market. This market is geared toward women over 40 who are sick of reading about women over 40 going through some sort of hand-wringing, pre-menopausal angst.

Ahem.

I seem to have digressed there . . .

I couldn’t believe this, but if Victoria Strauss has blogged about it, therefore it must be true. You have to read Victoria’s wonderfully tongue in cheek post on the irony of Tweetbookz.

Alex Bledsoe tweeted this great link on book covers and the rationale on how those covers are chosen. Read about The Covers That Got Away at Tor.com and see some great book covers (including two covers for Alex’s novel Blood Groove).

The first chapter of your novel is the most important chapter, so you need to head over to the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents blog and read about the 7 reasons agents stop reading your first chapter.

If you’re intimidated by writing sex scenes, you need to read author Elizabeth Bear’s post at the the Storytellers Unplugged blog where she teaches you that it is In Love As It Is In War. (Tweeted by @inkyelbows).

If you’re intimidated by sex, I have no help for you.

Here’s a great post about Writing Magic in Fantasy Fiction by Jonathan Danz where he gives some great tips on keeping it real.

Once your novel is finished, it’s often a good idea to run the completed work by beta readers who have never read the novel. My good friend Kelly Bryson talks about a great way to make the process more productive with her post on creating a Beta Readers’ Comment Form.

Peter Cooper talks about the agony of waiting to hear about his novel, The Ghost of Ping-Ling, in his post Seven Weeks.

While basting the turkey and baking the pies, you’ll want to take a break this evening and head over to Audrey Shaffer’s Open Chat Wednesdays at the Writer’s Chatroom. From 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. EST, you can take your questions and writing related issues to a group of vibrant writers who are encouraging and helpful about topics from plot issues to marketing your novel.

MORE NIBBLES AND LINKS

Check out Jane Friedman’s super links with the Writers’ Digest Best Tweets for Writers.

Another link treasure trove is Andy Shackcloth’s Sunday Wash-up where Andy posts the best links that he can find on the Internet. He has over thirty great links this week, so don’t miss the Sunday Wash-up.

More great links can be had at Pimp My Novel every Friday. For those who missed it, here is last week’s post entitled Waffling On the Issues. 

Finally, I like to wish each and everyone of you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Remember, next week we exercise . . .

I am distressed. Like, feeling-an-ulcer-boiling-up-in-my-gut distressed.

Even though this blog has my own given name on it, and it includes a sweet little “this ain’t Harlequin’s blog” disclaimer on the right sidebar, and I spent my precious library time posting about how this blog is my personal opinion blah, blah, blah, I’m still worried people might be mistaking my thoughts for those of the Harlequin PR office. (Yes, I tend toward paranoia.)

I’m not an executive, a director, a manager or even a senior person at Harlequin. I just work there, happily, and love publishing, a lot. Naturally, I thought it’d be interesting to discuss exciting developments within my favorite publishing company as one publishing professional to others.

Alas, that plan isn’t working for me.

I’m too much of a nervous Nellie. Even though Harlequin has a permissive blogging policy, it still feels weird to go from 16 page views to over a thousand on the back of a blogosphere fury. To lower my stress, I’m holding off on discussing Harlequin on this blog. (At least until the Horizons furor dies down.) That way I can assure my bile-filled stomach that I haven’t accidentally said something that someone else will take as coming directly from Harlequin.

I love my job and I want to keep it. Also, I hate ulcers.

So. I’m going to publish this little piece and then play around in the comments that have piled up over these last few days. I will respond to as many as I can, though I will not answer any questions specifically about Harlequin or Horizons.

I will, however, change the comments to unmoderated so you guys can better discuss things amongst yourselves, if you want to hang around. And, I will continue to discuss self-publishing, vanity presses, e-publishing and any other crazy mode of non-traditional publishing that catches my fancy. Because, in spite of the naysayers, I think they are interesting ideas that deserve further thought and discussion.

Bloody fingers! Bloody fingers! (And I’m still chewing.)

I cannot express how frustrated I am not to be able to further the conversation about Horizons right this very minute. NYPL has given me a computer reservation that lasts less than half an hour, with page-load times that could barely beat molasses in January. That’s just enough time for me to approve all of the passionate, insightful and thought-provoking comments I’ve received so far, and not enough time to respond to any of them in any depth.

The one thing I do want to say in my limited time is that on this blog I am not acting as a “representative” of Harlequin, as some commenters have indicated. (My disclaimer on the right-hand side says this clearly.) This is my personal blog filled with my personal opinions about publishing, an industry I care deeply about.

I actually started this blog not long ago because of the many, many articles, posts and tweets I have been reading this year about self-publishing, vanity publishing, e-publishing, and other new and changing options and distribution models. I have a collection of links waiting to be posted that have nothing to do with Harlequin. It’s just that the company made some exciting announcements recently. Since my goal is to discuss how publishing works now and how it is evolving, I couldn’t very well ignore the winds of change that were fluttering the papers on my day-job desk.

If the only thing you know about me is that I work at Harlequin, you might think I’m touting the party line. An understandable mistake since this blog is so new I haven’t even filled in my About page! Honestly, nobody read my ramblings until yesterday when Angela James kindly alerted everyone to my presence on Twitter. (Thanks, Angela. I think.)

So, please forgive me for not being able to address your comments right now. I’m ready to discuss the future of good writing, wherever it may be published. As soon as I can get my hands on a real computer.

[Update, 11/22/09: It was pointed out to me this weekend that this page did not originally include the disclaimer found on my home page. The template now includes the disclaimer, and in case you don't want to look to the sidebar: This post does not necessarily represent the opinions of Harlequin.]

My computer crashed on Tuesday, and I have been culling together random moments of very slow access via the public library and the handmade-by-my-brother-in-law, Linux-run, back-up machine that doesn’t allow me to do anything I normally do on-screen.

I’m about to gnaw my fingers off in frustration!

What a week for my little laptop to go belly-up. First, I come back to the office on Wednesday (not having been able to check my email on Tuesday, see above) to find an announcement about Harlequin Horizons, Harlequin’s new self-publishing initiative. All well and good.

(I haven’t yet posted all of the info I’ve been collecting about self-publishing and POD, but these kinds of new and changing publishing models are a current passion of mine. My initial reaction to the release, as someone working in a completely different HQ division who had no access to the information about Horizons until yesterday, was unadulterated excitement.)

But then I received emails about author reactions. I received some phone calls laced with disappointment. My Google alerts went crazy. One author called the announcement of Horizons a “Harlequin s**tstorm.”

Now, this morning, I log on to an ancient public library computer–on which I’m about to run out of time–and find that RWA has officially pulled Harlequin’s eligible publisher status. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

I have so much to say, and yet the clock is running out. Two things, quickly:

First, the press release makes this venture sound, to me, much like a licensing agreement. Harlequin provides the “Harlequin” and Author Solutions provides the service and maintenance. As a separate division run by a partner company and distributed on a wholly separate model, Horizons is sort-of like (at least to my MBA-less mind) GE’s ownership of NBC. Related, but not by much. As such, RWA’s decision to equate Horizons with all of the thousands of Harlequin’s traditionally published books seems sort-of like deciding not to buy that nice new fridge because you don’t like Leno in prime time.

That said, Harlequin as a brand is beloved by many and known around the world. Harlequin has history; it’s part of people’s intimate lives; Harlequin–at least for me and many readers I know–was there when boys went from being icky to delicious and when love and sex were first lighting up the hormones. So, it makes me tear up a little to read the heartfelt emotions on some author blogs. There is an honest sense of betrayal here that has nothing to do with the future of publishing and everything to do with a love of reading, romance novels and the (paid) writing life.

When I can get my darned computer back together–or hack out a little more time from the public library–let’s discuss some of the issues others’ have raised:

What does Harlequin the company, which may or may not be synonymous with the Harlequin brand, already include?

MIRA and HQN, imprints that many non-category readers don’t associate with Harlequin when they see them on the shelves; manga and overseas sales that many North Americans don’t have contact with; a variety of category romances that are often misrepresented as being all one type of read (ex: everyone thinks all romance is like Presents, or that Harlequin Romance the series is the same as Harlequin romance the brand); and lots of other initiatives that have come and gone. Will a new company under the Harlequin umbrella change how readers see the brand?

Where does self-publishing stand today as an alternative to traditional publishing?

It’s growing. Lulu.com; Amazon’s self-publishing option, which they monitor for “best picks” that they then publish more traditionally in their Encore imprint; Greenleaf Book Group, which has some stellar books out now and several more in my TBR pile, calls themselves a publishing “incubator” but basically charges the author money for publishing and distribution services; Smashwords; West Bow Press–really the list keeps going.

Those watching the industry closely cannot help but see these kinds of services as a part of publishing’s future. (As a consumer, I find this very exciting. No longer are the books I want to read hemmed in by marketing guidelines. If I want it, I can probably find it published by someone.) Beyond the obvious differences in money (author advance vs. author fee), there is a huge rights difference. Authors keep all or most of the rights in self-publishing, which can offer unlimited opportunities for the right person. (The kinds of unlimited opportunities that might not happen in traditional publishing.)

Does Horizons offer false hope to aspiring authors?

This is the most eye-roll-worthy comment I’ve seen so far. Some have pointed to Horizons’ web copy, which mentions that Harlequin will monitor sales and hopefully find new authors through this program, and called it misleading. To me, the claim seems delightfully honest. Harlequin wants more bestselling authors; here’s a new way to find them. Most, if not all, of the self-publishing services I’ve seen (Author Solutions’ companies, Smashwords, Amazon, etc.) monitor sales and give special attention to the books that sell best. Harlequin is simply stating up front the hope that a few strong new voices will rise above the many. (New voices, I should add, that probably wouldn’t find an audience if forced to stay within the strict marketing plans and editorial submissions processes of traditional publishing.)

Also, when authors pay to use a service, I believe they are smart enough to do due diligence. Self-publishing is very different from traditional publishing, and anyone who chooses to pay good money for their book to be published will know the difference.

What does the rise of self-publishing in general say about the role of editors or the curation of book and author lists?

Editing is an apprenticeship skill: a little creativity, a little diplomacy, a little marketing, a little problem-solving. If everyone can publish anything they want, any time they want, is there a role for those of us who can make stories go from good to great? For those who relish the difference between a cleanly written manuscript and one that makes us laugh and cry? For those who want our favorite books in the hands of as many readers as possible? Maybe yes, maybe no. Sometimes the crowd’s choice can be much better than what is selected by the traditional model.

As an editor, as a former aspiring writer, as a voracious consumer of content in many forms, this brouhaha excites me.

It makes for a good story.

Now it’s the bozo-behind-me’s turn to use the computer. *Sigh.*

This is how i play muse - sunburn when playing on an acoustic guitar =).

simple but sounds good   (i think)

    Em    Asus2     C      Am6      C/A    Em6
E - 0 - - - 0 - - - 0 - - - X - - - X - - - 0 - - -
B - 0 - - - 0 - - - 1 - - - 5 - - - 5 - - - 5 - - -
G - 0 - - - 2 - - - 0 - - - 5 - - - 5 - - - 4 - - -
D - 2 - - - 2 - - - 2 - - - 4 - - - 5 - - - 5 - - -
A - 2 - - - 0 - - - 3 - - - 0 - - - 0 - - - 0 - - -
E - 0 - - - 0 - - - 0 - - - X - - - X - - - X - - -

intro / verse

Em - Asus2 - C - Asus2

Chorus

Am6 - C/A - Em6

Muse - Sunburn

INTRO Em - Asus2 - C - Asus2 x2

Em         Asus2          C
Come waste your millions here

Asus2      Em      Asus2   C    Asus2
Secretly she sneers

Em         Asus2          C
Another corporate show

Asus      Em      Asus2    C    Asus2
A guilty conscience grows

Em          Asus2       C      Asus2
I'll feel a guilty conscience grow

Em          Asus2       C      Asus2
I'll feel a guilty conscience grow

Am6  C/A   Em6
She burns like the sun

Am6  C/A   Em6
And I can't look away

Am6  C/A   Em6               Am6  C/A   Em6
And she'll burn our horizons make no mistake

BREAK  Em - Asus2 - C - Asus2

Em       Asus2          C
Come let the truth be shared

Asus2    Em      Asus2     C    Asus2
No-one ever dared

Em        Asus2         C
To break these endless lies

Asus2     Em      Asus2    C    Asus2
Secretly she cries

Am6  C/A   Em6
She burns like the sun

Am6  C/A   Em6
And I can't look away

Am6  C/A   Em6             Am6  C/A   Em6
And she'll burn our horizons make no mistake

Solo Am6 - C/A -  Em6

Am6  C/A   Em6
And I'll hide from the world

Am6  C/A   Em6
Behind a broken frame

Am6  C/A   Em6
And I'll burn forever

Am6  C/A   Em6
I can't face the shame

Am6  C/A   Em6
And I'll hide from the world

Am6  C/A   Em6
Behind a broken frame

Am6  C/A   Em6
And I'll burn forever

Am6  C/A   Em6
I can't face the shame

Thats How I Play.. Thanks   any questions - richard.gallagher@live.co.uk

Issue 10

Adventures in Archaeology
Issue 10 Past Horizons Online Journal of volunteer archaeology and training.
November 2009

Past Horizons now celebrating its tenth issue, consists of 48 pages of free to read content. The main articles cover current archaeological excavations and conservation around the world. We also have the much loved contribution from Annie Evans our very own ‘Dig Cook’ and the Back Pages present four comedyvideos for your enjoyment, on the subject of archaeology.

Read it here
http://en.calameo.com/books/000062729f2fb612070aa

or here
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22578459/Past-Horizons-Issue-10-November-2009

Up From the Ashes  14
In 1815 on the Indonesian island of Tambora a massive volcanic eruption caused a pryoclastic flow which wiped out all in its path. The tiny Kingdom of Tambora disappeared under the ash. Now, almost two hundred years later the carbonised but well preserved remains are slowly being uncovered.

Making Preservation Happen 32
Slovenia is a small nation with big ambitions to preserve its wealth of historical buildings. Two Slovenians are at the forefront of this work and have reached out to the international community for help. Now in partnership with Colorado based Adventures in Preservation, hands on workshops are now up and running.

Archaeology Through the Keyhole  8
Dating of hillforts has long been the subject of debate amongst archaeologists. Murray Cook argues that keyhole excavation is the way forward.

Prepare for Action  38
Dominic Hall, a field skills expedition leader shares some of his top tips for enjoying a safe but exciting adventure.

A Series of Fortunate Events  20
Metal detectorist Peter Twinn describes the series of events in his life that led him to discover a passion for archaeology.

Fort St. Joseph  26
A 18th century French frontier fort involved in the fur trade provides the subject for an exceptional award winning community archaeology project.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR PAST HORIZONS OR INDEED HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO MAKE PLEASE CONTACT:  editor@pasthorizons.com

The suggestion for today was to get together with people you don’t know and get to know them – to meet new people. I guess this is a way to broaden one’s horizons somewhat – get to know and see what other people do, how they live, etc.

I do meet new people from time to time – but can’t say I’m all that fussed to organise parties and events with people I don’t know.

A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton

Sens de lecture d’une image

L’image se lit de gauche à droite, et de haut en bas, comme le texte d’un livre. L’œil parcourt alors un sens de lecture en diagonale. Celle-ci doit être respecter dans la composition de l’image afin de faire ressortir les éléments que vous souhaitez mettre en évidence.

Notez que notre regard n’accorde pas la même importance aux éléments. Dans l’ordre, il s’arrêtera sur :

- les créatures vivantes (surtout les être humains)

- les éléments mobiles

- les objets fixes

Il s’agit de classer ses éléments dans la composition de votre image, par ordre de priorité.

La ligne des tiers

Cette méthode consiste à diviser le cadre de l’image en trois parties égales, horizontalement/verticalement/ou les deux, et à situer son sujet sur l’un des axes.

Une construction basée sur ce principe sera forcément équilibrée.

photo tous droits réservés

On fera donc toujours en sorte de placer l’horizon ou les yeux d’un personnage sur une des lignes de forces. De même, on placera l’élément principal de notre image sur un point fort.

photo tous droits réservés

Le lion se trouve dans les 2/3 de l’image. Ses yeux et sa bouche se trouvent au niveau d’un point de force.

Afin d’accentuer l’équilibre de votre visuel, évitez de positionner deux éléments forts sur la même ligne de force, mais jouer plutôt sur les diagonales afin de rendre votre photo plus dynamique.

Vous pourrez remarquer que le centre de l’image ne constitue pas un point fort… pensez donc à décaler votre sujet (même s’il est seul, sauf en cas de gros plan par exemple) sur un des 4 points forts de l’image.

Les diagonales, perspectives et lignes directrices

Plus les diagonales sont marquées, plus vous obtiendrez une sensation de perspectives et de dynamisme.

Les diagonales créent une impression de profondeur, d’énergie et de mouvement dans l’image.

- La diagonale ascendante (coin inférieur gauche au coin supérieur droit)  : dynamique, progrès, avenir

- La diagonale descendante (coin supérieur gauche au coin inférieur droit) : dramatique, chute, passé

- La ligne optique : suggérée par une succession de points importants

Les bateaux les uns à côté des autres forment une ligne "imaginaire", appelée ligne optique

- Les lignes brisées irrégulières :  impression d’instabilité, voir d’échec

La ligne d'horizon formée par les colines est irrégulière

- Les lignes brisées régulières : impression de régularité, de mouvement

la ligne formée par les cabanons est brisée mais régulièrement

- Les lignes courbes : impression de douceur, de calme

- Les lignes horizontales : impression de stabilité, repos

- Les lignes verticales : idée d’élévation spirituelle, tension émotionnelle

Notez que l’inclinaison de l’appareil, faisant apparaître les effets de plongée ou contre-plongée, contribue à la réalisation de perspectives.

Pour un portrait, la direction du regard du sujet constituera la ligne directrice principale de votre image. Si votre sujet regarde à gauche, décaler votre sujet sur la droite afin de mettre en valeur la ligne de fuite de son regard.

Les formes géométriques

Comme les lignes, les formes géométriques accentuent l’émotion que vous souhaitez transmettre par votre photo.

- Le carré : sensation de stabilité et de calme, absence totale de tension, objectivité

- Le cercle : harmonie, équilibre, douceur, calme, infini, féminin

- Le losange : mouvement, échange, temps qui passe

- Le rectangle horizontal : sensation de repos, lourdeur, froideur

- Le rectangle vertical : idée de puissance, implication, mais aussi dramatique

- Le triangle ascendant : renforce le côté spirituel

- Le triangle descendant : sentiment d’insécurité, d’écrasement, désespoir

I’m back after my extended hiatus from this Blog. The reason for the break was my moving to a new place to live. So I’m now all settled in and ready to get back into it all.

The other thing is, that I have also decided to broaden my horizons and post not only photos, but also videos, quotes and links, but still only one post a day every day. I just felt I needed a little more scope with material to post.

So, my new post will follow here soon.

My awesome wife, as a wedding present, landed us third row tickets to see Patton Oswalt perform up in Glenside, PA, just outside of Philadelphia, this past weekend. We kicked off the evening with a stellar meal at one of our favorite restaurants, Horizons. Chef Landau does amazing, magical things in the kitchen—all without the help of animal products. Witness the fitness:

Vietnamese Tacos

Vietnamese Tacos with Crispy Lemongrass Tempeh, Sriracha mayo, Daikon, Cilantro, Carrot and Chile

Golden Beets

Salt Roasted Golden Beets with House Smoked Tofu, Avocado, Capers and Red Onion with Cucumber Dill sauce

Wild & Tame Mushroom Plate

Sage grilled portabella over smoked eggplant mash, Braised chantrelles on creamed corn, Oyster mushroom Rockefeller

Grilled Seitan

Grilled Seitan with Yukon mash, grilled spinach, horseradish cream, roasted red pepper tapenade

Unfortunately, we didn’t allow enough time for our meal (not pictured: the THREE desserts we ordered: Autumn (Pumpkin) Parfait, Saffron Creme Brulee, and Caramel Apple Cheesecake) to get all the way out to Glenside in time. So we missed the first 40 minutes of Patton’s set. However, the seats were great, and we still got to see the last 30 or so minutes of Patton’s comedy stylings. We were even treated to a few new bits not on his latest album My Weakness Is Strong.

The Once and Future Nerd-king.

Parkway Drive is hot. They’re touring around the world, popping up on every bill and performing as if their lives depend on it. From small gigs in their home country, to sold out festivals, without even a single backing of mainstream media. How do they do it?

In Europe you’re an underground band. Not a lot of people know you and your music videos aren’t shown on TV.
Winston: It’s not only Europe. It’s everywhere. Like you say, it feels very strange to do a MV that isn’t shown on television. And it’s odd knowing that the show tonight is sold out, even though you still wouldn’t classify our music as mainstream. It definitely isn’t pop.

Doesn’t America, or even your home country (Australia), have channels broadcasting your music videos to the masses?
Winston: Australia is very similar to Europe. It’s more similar to Europe than it is to America in any way. In the USA they have MTV2 and MTV Noise. They have channels which are dedicated to heavy or alternative music. They have like too many channels so they can put on whatever they want. And in Australia we don’t have that. We’re just popular because we are close to the heaviest band in the country.

So the road to mainstream success lies in Australia?
Winston: Not necessarily. We get like zero radio airplay, television time or whatever. So it is definitely still underground. Parkway Drive is anything but mainstream, and maybe it is in our best interest to keep it that way. It’s an interesting type of music to be involved in. I really enjoy it so why go out, get softer and make tons of money putting out album after album?

You never received any kind of worldwide promotions. Yet you have fans everywhere. If your career hadn’t started in the 21^St century, you wouldn’t have been this popular.
Winston: Definitely. I’m well aware of that. Internet has been the best thing that could have ever happened to us. All those communities, people talking and giving music to each other, it definitely helped us. MySpace, for instance, singlehandedly changed everything. If it wasn’t for MySpace we wouldn’t have been able to come to Europe. No one would know who we were.

Thanks to that extra virtual platform the world now knows about you. Parkway Drive is hot these days. You are practically everywhere. You’ve slowly become the mainstream of the underground.
Winston: (smiles) Mainstream of the underground? Yeah, it seems a very good way of describing our situation I guess. I mean, it’s kind of strange isn’t it?

Belgium is a big fan of yours. Last Groezrock you nearly made the tent explode.
Winston: It was really ridiculous. That was one of the most amazing moments of my life, just playing that. Our lights guy was sitting in some booth up on top of where everyone was moshing and he was hitting his things playfully. I can remember I was just looking at the big mosh pits before looking up and seeing him go mad. (Acts like he’s pushing some buttons and rocking out) He was looking at people and just freaking out because it was so insane. He’s been to every show we’ve ever done and he couldn’t believe it either.  I’ve never heard that many people singing a song together. And the amount of people was insane. It was like you couldn’t see the crowd unless you went like this. (looks from left to right to make his point) How the fuck does an event like that happen? I’d never seen anything of that scale before.

Well, it seems a small country like Belgium can make a difference. The show tonight sold out weeks ago. 1200 people are waiting outside these doors to have the night of their lives.
Winston:  I’ve had people out the stage door asking for tickets and I couldn’t explain to them I didn’t have any spare ones. It’s pretty awesome that these days you don’t have to have the backing of mainstream media to be able to gather this many people to a show. And it’s thanks to the power of the internet cause that’s the number one marketing tool these days. It’s just so good for getting information out into the world. The last two shows we did in Australia were only promoted through our MySpace. This world is becoming more and more a world where you don’t need to rely on certain media outlets and you can all do it yourself.

Comparing Groezrock to a gig indoors is maybe futile: but what do you prefer? The freshness of being on an open stage with thousands of people in front of you. Or small gigs in little venues where most only come because they want to see you.
Winston: That’s a hard question to answer. To be honest it’s like comparing oranges and apples. They are almost two completely different things. Because you play something like Groezrock and the atmosphere is so crazy. But because there are so many people, there is no intimacy. And at small shows you don’t have as many people, so it’s more intense. It’s not a situation where one is necessarily better than the other. It’s just so hard to compare them. I like both. And as a band that’s not as big in some places than in other places, we get to play a mix of different shows. We’re in a very lucky position.

You are a festival band as well as an indoor band.
Winston: that’s correct.

And your performances are always full of energy. Out of my own experience I know it’s so much easier to go along with a band if they’re happy instead of standing at the sides, playing their instruments and being bored as hell.
Winston:  Yeah exactly. It’s genuine. If it’s obvious they’re not either doing it for the sake of getting the paycheck or doing all their rehearsed rock moves or whatever, just not wanting to be there. It’s. We’re not in that situation. We don’t go out of the way to try to attract people we just play and have fun. That’s always been the way. We never tried to gain anything as a band. We’ve just always played for ourselves. And then one day, people decided to enjoy us.

And you became famous.
Winston: Apparently we did. The reason we started doing what we do now was just a sort of challenge. We didn’t necessarily have a background in this kind of music so we just tried to combine things. It’s weird how things come out when you don’t aim to something.

Parkway Drive at MySpace

What gets you inspired? For us inspiration sometimes comes when we sit on the back porch sipping a cold glass of lemonade. Other times, inspiration comes in front of a computer screen. Then there are times inspiration doesn’t want to come at all. We like to see people find their inspiration and expand their horizons. Maybe, you’ve already done that by jumping out of a formal office to grow your business, or maybe, that’s still a dream.

We’re starting this blog to talk about those things that get us inspired and get us connected; social media, virtual assistance, working from home, family life. Since we live in a small town, we know how important it is to have neighbors to help each other out. We want you to think of us as a neighbor (one you like).  If you feel like you need a little help or motivation, we hope you can find it here. This is a positive place where you can get some ideas on how to connect to new resources, to grow your business, or maybe just spend a little time hanging out with us on the back porch.