I am Ms. Spammy Poster today, but this is News of Significance, so I’m writing about it even though I have Very Little Idea what it means, mostly.
There’s just been email from Harlequin regarding the Bombshell imprint. To wit, that the imprint has been cancelled as of January 2007. (It’s not performing well enough, in short.)
You know that big long posting about the ridiculous number of books I had under contract that I did a few days ago? The one titled, “4 down, 6 to go”?
It is now suddenly 4 down, 3 to go.
This is what I *do* know: THE PHOENIX LAW is due out in December and so will be published. I am very glad about that, although not surprised: I’m in the midst of doing galleys on it, and figured if it was that close to production, that it’d be published if the line went down. There’s been talk of the line going under the last several weeks, so I’m not at all surprised by this news, though I thought it might take another month before the decision was finalized. Apparently when Harlequin decides to cut a line free, though, it happens promptly.
I know absolutely *nothing* else on this topic yet. I am not at all destroyed by this, nor surprised; I did suspect it was coming, and while I really and truly would not have signed on for doing as much as I did if I couldn’t do it, *not having to* doesn’t exactly suck. I’m a little disappointed, yes, but as the conversations online just went:
and
(I begin to suspect people have this overachiever image of me branded in their minds. I don’t know *why*!)
Actually, you know what, ironically, this does not make the rest of *this* year *any* less insane. I still have 2 proposals, 2 revisions, 1 galley and a comic book script to finish this month, and then a book to finish before mid (or preferably early) November. _Next_ year, however, the differences are legion.
More when I know it!
Since you had three under contract, does that mean you’d gotten an advance on any of them that you have to give back? Is there some remuneration in store for you since they’re the ones that backed out of the contract, not you? Or is it more of a “no harm, no foul” sort of thing?
See the part that says “I know nothing else on this topic yet”…? :)
I won’t have to give any money back. Beyond that, I don’t know yet.
_Next_ year, however, the differences are legion.
So, I read that as: Next year I work on Legion.
No. :)
You may get paid for the first one.
I felt the same way when LUNA shut me off: “Thank god! I was dying out here!” Shocked my agent, who was pretty upset–but when you’re overbooked and then they pay you not to write the book that was breaking your poor quivering hump, hey, party time!
No?
*insert sound of Sarah’s brain shattering*
Right. No.
*grin* Yeah, pretty much. It’ll be interesting to see what comes of it; getting paid would be great, obviously, but if that doesn’t happen, well, at least I haven’t already written it. :)
*attempts to pick the pieces up and put them back together attractively, if not efficiently*
No. But I think 2010 sounds nice. :)
It will be the future then! Maybe there will be a need for kick-butt sword-wielding angels!
Thank you for the brain repair, ma’am.
Bad news for Cate Dermody, but good news for C.E. Murphy!
Neutral for the rest of us, since you still will create tons of stuff that people who like that sort of stuff will like.
Ayup. I’m being paid to not write the first book in the new series. I was going to start it, like, this week, so that was a nice dodging of bullet.
I feel bad for authors left with full or partial mss. they can’t sell, authors with series cut off before the end, and (worst of all) authors who never even got a book in print from the line at all, just whack! gone.
As for me, I got paid a fat chunk o’ change I don’t have to pay back, and I’ll sell it somewhere else in somewhat altered form and make double. Works for me. It’s a terribly cavalier attitude, I suppose, but this is a business. Pick up the check, pull up your socks, and carry on is my motto.
I am very, *very* glad that PHOENIX is on for a December publication. I’d have been really disappointed if that trilogy hadn’t been completed, and yeah, I feel for writers who are getting cut off mid-story. I got lucky, there.
I’m hoping there might be a “sell it somewhere else in somewhat altered form” opportunity for me somewhere along the line here, but I haven’t even talked to der agent yet, so I have no idea what sock-pulling-up might be available. And for the moment, I still have plenty much to do and the question of repackaging stuff is one to Not Worry About just now. :)
(Also: iconlove!)
But I haven’t even managed to locate a copy of the first one yet!!!! *Pout*
Well, it’s too bad it’s being cancelled, but at the same time, having a freed up schedule is nuthin’ to sneeze at!
And just when I found that imprint and decided that it was interesting enough to chase. Feh.
Overachiever, you? Naah…..
I heard about the Bombshell line closing, and naturally I thought of you. At least Phoenix will still be released which will make Cate Dermody’s fans happy, but it’s still sucky news for everyone who loved that line. Even if this does free you up for other projects, it’s got to be bittersweet.