I have a tee shirt that says,  Writer.  As politically Incorrect as it gets.  That’s me in spades and my personality takes the lead on this.  I have little tolerance for Political Correctness.  Millions of soldiers have fought and died for your right of free speech and being PC is killing it.  I, as a Marine's wife, have kept my mouth shut rather than make a PC statement.  Those of you who know me well, know that was a struggle.  My mouth never shuts when it should. 

This morning on the news…a group in California is trying to ban Mylar balloons.  Actually it was a ban on all balloons.  Yes, let’s waste a court system with crap like this in a state that is nearly bankrupt.  This isn’t a concern for people, it’s for birds.  Birds.  I don’t give a damn about some seagulls getting balloons in their digestive tracks or a balloon floating in the water and mistaken for Jellyfish by BIRDS.  I care about children, my fellow Americans and the environment, but worrying about birds eating what they shouldn’t, not a concern.  It’s like the fight for timber wolves.  They breed, and are not near extinction.  I don't care.   It’s a food chain thing.  I’m at the top, they’re not.  Might be cold and callus, but when people are going hungry, out of work, losing their homes while there is supposed to be a $700 billion bail out to help them, birds are not even on my radar till today. 

Stop the stupid. Focus on what matters to HUMANS.

Attaching a fee to flat screen TV purchases.  This is a new one to me, minor and ridiculous.  Apparently, flat screens use more energy than a regular TV.  Now California legislature wants to attach fees to the purchase of a flat screen.  This helps HOW?  If you want a flat screen, and you’re aware it uses more energy, then that’s your choice.  Why slap on a fee?  for the sake of the enviroment?  Really?  Then who gets that fee money?  The smoggiest state in the union?  CA is near bankruptcy.  It’s obvious legistators can’t handle money and they're looking to find it in penalty fees like this.  I say, let the customer pay the extra for energy to run it and stay out of my home and my business.    

Slightly off track... I feel the same way about Gay Rights.  US Government needs to stay out of this.  Gays should have every right as any other American because they ARE Americans.  Discriminating is NOT an option, so why is there even a discussion?  To refuse to marry a gay couple is breaking the law with discrimination.  Any further discussion brings in religion.  Who you love or your sexual preference is not anyones business, especially not a government that can't even police its own legislative members.  (Ragell, Larry Craig, and 2 dozen male senators!)  Those who refuse this right to American’s should be penalized.  Let's start with the US Senate. 

This one puts me over the edge…

Harlequin is starting a vanity press.  Harlequin Horizons.  I received a notice on it this morning as did about 10K RWA members.  The purpose of this is to do what?  Devalue the writers who made it through the editorial gauntlet and wrote books that made HQ billion$?  I think it’s the dumbest move by Harlequin.   HQ is playing to the ‘I wanna be a writer’ people who are not storytellers.  A real writer just wants to tell a story, a Vanity press wants to see their name in print.  BIG difference.  To me, Harlequin just slapped any writer who's ever written for them by agreeing to print ANYONE who can pay for it.  PAY.  Out of your own pocket pay.

FYI, I nor the other Babes have ever paid to be in print.  We earned the right and the publisher paid US. 

With this move, Harlequin no longer meets the requirements for its authors to enter the RITA contest.  It makes Harlequin Silhouette non-eligible as RWA does not recognize vanity press as legitimate publishers.

The next weeks will be a true test of RWA.  If they change the rules for HQ  and their authors (I was one of them)  then they have to reinstate the Precious Gem authors they’d denied a couple years ago.  If they don't knuckle, RWA loses tons of money, yet in the same vent, Harlequin will have to pay their way to conference and everything else that was free till now.  

Vanity press is nothing more than PAYING to FEEL like a writer.  My opinion, and you can argue it, but you will never change my mind. 

I will declare now, that if RWA doesn’t treat Harlequin like all the other vanity presses, then I will, after 20 years, no longer be a member of an organization with no backbone. 

So readers... what do you think?   

AMY

Love it, Amy!! You know I hate PC more than anything!

First, let me say as a born and raised Californian...this state SUCKS.... everything about it. People are leaving in droves and I'm going to be one of them! Can't wait to get out!

I'm with you on vanity presses, too. I think Harlequin's decision was a mistake. RWA came down fast and hard and I congratulate them for sticking to their rules no matter the cost.

For those of us who love Harlequin and love writing for them, this is a hard thing. Do I hate my family for one bad decision? No. Do I hope they correct it? Oh yes.

All I thought was... Being the biggest publisher in the world wasn't enough? And who's to say that in contract, HQN can't take a book sold to say...Desire and put it in Horizons? You can't say it isn't a possibility. Did anyone think for a moment HQN would go the Vanity Press route? I sure didn't. IMO, it will make so little money they'll ditch it.
Unlike you, I don't give RWA any credit for coming down hard and fast. They HAVE to or break the by-laws. I thought the board was unclear on too many issues connected with this Imprint. Also, for this to be in the press now, means it was a done deal a long time ago. Yet we're just hearing about it now... when RWA finances sending 3 members to the Harlequin summit to discuss just this type of issue. Hum. A day late and a dollar short. Now that Harlequin is non-eligible, 'll be interested to see whether RWA is going to stand by this descison with the other lines of HQN? Or only holding Horizons Imprint accountable? I think only HH because not being able to enter the RITA with a Harlequin Enterprises book is going to have more $$$ ramifications.

You go girl! Thank you for bringing up the gay issue. I was away this weekend and one man sitting at my table during lunch went off on a rant about how gay people make the choice, therefore they should suffer the consequences - like no right to marry. I SWEAR I tried to stay silent but we all know how that worked. So I asked Mr. Religious how old he was when he decided to be a heterosexual. He looked at me like I'd sprouted another head. I then explained that if sexual preference is a choice then he (and all of us) faced the same choices. And forget the man shall lie with woman quote from the bible - that doesn't hold water any more than the bible supporting slavery and stoning people wearing clothing of different threads or (my fave) touching the skin of a pig is cause for stoning. In case you haven't noticed, I actually read the bible (and the Torah and the Koran) so you can forget hitting me with out of context passages. Religion was never intended to turn neighbor against neighbor. The most judgmental people I've known in my life are those who profess to be devout (pick you religious affiliation). I have an idea - try thinking for yourself and understanding that you don't get to drape yourself in religion to justify the poor and unfair treatment of others.

I'm feeling the flames flicker at my feet:o

Oh-ho, give 'em verbal hell, girl! You took that guy down to the floor. you rock! Hate assholes like that!
Gays would have the right if religion stayed the hell out of the issue!
Its the same with abortion and health care. Republicans are bitching about, not paying for abortions? Well then isn't that others side deciding what care a patient can have? My body, my temple... and 10 judges will never tell me how to treat it! ugh!

I do give RWA credit. Hell, there are plenty of people who find a way to dance around the rules. For the same reason I think RWA wimped out on the whole epub thing, too......they caved to a small minority and are changing their rules to suit a loud minority. so no applause there.

On the Rhonnie front......good shot, girl!! honest to God...they want people to NOT get married?? To NOT be with the person they love?? Oh yeah. That's the Christian way.......sigh.

People suck.