We all know MM rakes in the dough. 

So, my question is: why are there currently only Torquere, Amber Allure, Dreamspinner Press, and MLR Press specializing in MM stuff when there are like, what, one hundred epublishers trying to do that jack of all trade thing?

Is there some kind of stigma associated with publishing only MM stuff? Or is the money isn't really that good compared to the hype? Because I'm curious as to why nobody is trying to set up more MM publishing houses. Even Carina, the upcoming player, is doing that jack of all trades thing, but I suppose that is more to Harlequin's executive decision than anything else.

If the money in MM is really that good and I have the chance of set up an epublisher in order to make a profit, I think I'd set up an MM epublisher, but maybe that's just me.

As some have expected, or at least hoped for, ( Read more... )

Taking away the hype, I managed to learn the following, although of course these are subject to change as they haven't opened their doors yet.

• They are offering 30% royalties... gross, I believe, which I know some authors are claiming to be on the low side for epublishers with no advance model. To compare: Harlequin's current ebooks have a 6% royalty rates, but of course those authors have advances. And another point of comparison - Spice Brief authors get advances. 
• Pays twice a year. Some established epublishers pay monthly.
• Carina is going to be very separate from Harlequin, so do not bank your hopes on getting Harlequin readers to cross over to Carina. Also, sales of Harlequin ebooks are low enough as it is, so the Harlequin reader base is not ebook-friendly in the first place. Carina is going to be starting from scratch to compete with the big girls for the slice of the pie. 

I'm actually intrigued by this development because this is the first time a big publisher is putting some dough into a true epublishing venture. If it succeeds, I wonder what will happen. Will Pocket buy over or become a major shareholder in Ellora's Cave? Will Kensington do the same with Samhain? (To me, it makes sense to buy/have a partnership with established epublishers with a steady fanbase and author stable instead of starting from scratch, but that's just me.) I'll be watching this one, that's for sure.

Title: What You Want
Author: dazzledfirestar
Character(s): Peter Parker/Bobby Drake/Jean Paul Beaubier, Clint Barton/Peter Parker, Johnny Storm/Peter Parker
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Oral sex, M/M, M/M/M, anal, voyeurism
Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable here. Marvel does. I do not make any money from this.
Author Note: This was written for the marvel_kink Meme. The original prompt was:
What if Mephisto had undone the Spider marriage by making Peter gay?
I was thinking people could do a series of snippets of his encounters with various male heroes as Peter keeps hooking up trying to find a guy who can fill the void left by Mary-Jane.
So I ran with it. And I had to give Peter the happy ending he deserves. ;)

What You Want

TITLE: Enduring
CHARACTERS: Jessica Drew/Kitty Pryde, with Gwen, MJ and Peter in the background.
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 1,888
SUMMARY: Jessica, Kitty, and mutual silent treatment.
NOTES: For pdli. Runs along the lines of Unearthing.

( Jessica jumps, uses a web to gain momentum, and trusts that Kitty isn't going to let her smack into a foot of concrete and steel structures. )

John C. Wright's thoughts about The Mammoth Book Of Mind-Blowing SF faux-controversy are very close to my own opinion. Namely:

Self-conscious "diversity" is a not a moral imperative, but rather a political position designed to accrue money & power.

-JM

Title: Practical Application of Learned Skills
Author: Iambic
Fandom & Pairing: Daredevil, Matt Murdock/Danny Rand
Wordcount: 2,001
Rating: PG
Author's Notes/Warnings: No warnings I can think of.
Summary: Danny thinks it would be a good idea to learn how to fight like Matt does.

Practical Application of Learned Skills

In the midst of working on deadlines, I snuck in a few hours to read Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund. (The cover and blurb for it, by the way, are horrible representations of what's actually inside the book. They look like they're trying to appeal to the dark fantasy crowd -- when really, it's a science fiction story primarily of friendship and parental relationships. I'd also say it's like a boarding school novel in space, with really appealing main characters who have Issues that they have to confront -- together -- which may explain why I enjoyed it so much.)

Based on the cover, I couldn't figure out where I'd heard of it or why I'd put it on hold from the library, but once I started reading, I realized that the style reminded me very much of Sherwood Smith's (sartorias) in Crown Duel. Thus I *assume* someone on livejournal recommended it. Anybody want to take credit?

I really enjoyed it, and pass along the recommendation, whoever I got it from!

Now, back to more galley proofing...

Claude Lévi-Strauss died!

Claude Lévi-Strauss was still alive!

I fail current events.

(In other news, I am returned from Providence, where there was pizza and much late-night conversation with readingthedark, and last night Viking Zen and I watched Volver (2006), my first film by Almodóvar. I liked it. Today I am back to raking the lawn.)

Thanks to my wonderful Publicity Manager, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Dark Quest now has a facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Quest-Books/172611658849

Hopefully it should be updated in a timely basis.   Which means probably more often then I keep people informed via this blog.

A book-promo video for Heat Wave, complete with fake celeb-praise. Made of footage from the show, with some :ahem: extra that I DEFINITELY do not recall.

...this was my first time watching Castle drunk.

That is all.

Hi everyone. I'm new (to several Castle communities) and I bring some rather rushed fan art. Rushed, because I read HEAT WAVE (or rather, listened to it) and had to get this down, so it's very sloppy and amateurish. It's also heavily spoilery.

Also, it may end up being the first in a series of these pics, it all depends on the feedback, if any.

If you've read HEAT WAVE, you know which scene I mean, but for now, it's only the scene that leads to that one. I've drawn this in the form of a graphic novel, sort of, and this initial vignette has no dialogue. Well...you'll see, but again, TOTALLY SPOILERIFFIC FOR HEAT WAVE. Click at your own risk.

Artist: maddarilke
Title: "Hand Margaritas"
Characters: Rick Castle/Kate Beckett Jameson Rook/Nikki Heat
Rating: PG-ish
Warnings: None, morally, but it does spoil a pivotal scene in HEAT WAVE.
Media: Photoshop 7, Tablet
Notes: I think if anyone's watched the show, they know that A)Jameson Rook and Nikki Heat are based on Rick and Kate, so I don't think I've really spoiled that (I hope). As I say, depending on feedback, I may continue to draw the scene as it plays out in the book. It's a daunting task, but twist my arm...
Disclaimer: This is a tribute. Please don't sue me. Only having a bit of fun. Not making ANY money off of it.

Pic is rather big, so rather than lj-cutting, I shall post a link. Please don't steal, hotlink or icon without asking.

Hand Margaritas...

Cross-posted in all places Castle on LJ.

Hi everyone. I'm new (to several Castle communities) and I bring some rather rushed fan art. Rushed, because I read HEAT WAVE (or rather, listened to it) and had to get this down, so it's very sloppy and amateurish. It's also heavily spoilery.

Also, it may end up being the first in a series of these pics, it all depends on the feedback, if any.

If you've read HEAT WAVE, you know which scene I mean, but for now, it's only the scene that leads to that one. I've drawn this in the form of a graphic novel, sort of, and this initial vignette has no dialogue. Well...you'll see, but again, TOTALLY SPOILERIFFIC FOR HEAT WAVE. Click at your own risk.

Artist: maddarilke
Title: "Hand Margaritas"
Characters: Rick Castle/Kate Beckett Jameson Rook/Nikki Heat
Rating: PG-ish
Warnings: None, morally, but it does spoil a pivotal scene in HEAT WAVE.
Media: Photoshop 7, Tablet
Notes: I think if anyone's watched the show, they know that A)Jameson Rook and Nikki Heat are based on Rick and Kate, so I don't think I've really spoiled that (I hope). As I say, depending on feedback, I may continue to draw the scene as it plays out in the book. It's a daunting task, but twist my arm...
Disclaimer: This is a tribute. Please don't sue me. Only having a bit of fun. Not making ANY money off of it.

Pic is rather big, so rather than lj-cutting, I shall post a link. Please don't steal, hotlink or icon without asking.

Hand Margaritas...

Cross-posted in all places Castle on LJ.