This is ABC’s trailer and it looks good! I have read THE RETURNED and loved it. It’s beautiful, lyrical, moving and gripping.

From Michael Levin at HuffPo, his publishing predictions about how it’s going to get worse for New York publishers in 2013.  Good news: Harlequin will be okay because we have a real brand.

9. The publishers whose brands actually stand for something will do just fine. Regnery enjoys massive credibility with conservatives; Harlequin with women who crave romance. But what of the other publishers, whose brands stand for nothing? It’s gonna be a long, long year.

Mike Shatzkin of The Idea Logical Company also offers his 2013 predictions. His last point about marketing being an ongoing learning experience resonated strongly with me as it ties in to what I’ve been saying:  no ebook has fulfilled its sales potential — you can always sell more. This is a big shift in the publishing industry and great news for those titles that did not hit it big at launch.

Giving some credence to at least one of Leven’s predictions is news from Techcrunch that B&N.com saw a 10.9 percent decrease in sales over the nine-week holiday period ending December 29, 2012. Nook sales and BN.com were also down.

Mark Coker (Smashwords) had a long and fairly upbeat list of predictions.

I am writing up my list of predictions now. Check back on Monday.

Hugh Laurie, Idris Elba and Benedict Cumberbatch

Click here for more details.

A big congratulations to Jennifer Drogell (@JenDrogell) who won So You Think You Can Write with her Harlequin Presents submission,  The Divorce Party. Joanne Grant, the senior editor for Harlequin Presents called her from our London office to tell her the good news and offer her a 2 book contract!

Please go to the SYTYCW contest annoucement page to read all the details.

Another significant highlight: Over 60 writers who originally entered the SYTYCW contest have been contacted by the Harlequin editors—and asked to either submit a full manuscript or revise the project. We fully expect to contract a number of these books.

I’ve been in publishing a long time, but I am never jaded when it come to the thrill of finding a new writer. New voices keep the romance genre fresh and relevant. There is also nothing more wonderful than appreciating the joy of someone who has fulfilled a dream. As Jennifer wrote on twitter to Joanne Grant: thank you, Joanne. I think your phone call has just made me the happiest person on earth!!

Congratulations as well to Amber L. Whitford and Mel Sterling for placing second and third.

As Nanowrimo winds down to a close, I wanted to share this content as inspiration for everyone who writes and dreams of being published. It does happen. We, at Harlequin, reach out in many ways. The SYTYCW contest is a team effort that takes a great deal of time and dedication from the editorial department, but also IT, public relations, marketing and others. Throughout the year Harlequin editors speak at conferences, conduct online pitch sessions, and write countless revisions letters to find and nurture new talent. Today I am thrilled for Jennifer and also delighted to work at a publisher like Harlequin that has a long tradition of doing more than any other publisher I can think of to find and encourage new writers. Go Jennifer, Go Amber, Go Mel! Go Harlequin!

I also love the new packaging we’ve put on some of our favorite titles being reissued in ebook format in December All titles listed below will be published as Harlequin Special Releases at a special price of $2.99 U.S. from December 17^th, 2012 to February 15^th, 2013.

May I present the Presents Billionaires:

$2.99, loyal readers!  Just imagine how many books a billionaire could shower you with…

The Pirate’s Lady by Julia Knight. This two book series is one of my favorites. For every reader who wishes there more fantastic pirate books featuring a sexy hero and tough-as-nails heroine. Ten Ruby Trick is the first book.

Timeless Innocents by Janis Susan May. This has one of the creepiest covers I’ve ever seen!

Designed for Death by Jean Harrington. Charming mystery.

We are also celebrating our 2nd anniversary with two special collections. Both are Editor’s Collections, the romance collection selected and edited by Angela James and the “variety” collection — showcasing the breadth of Carina’s editorial – was selected and edited by Deb Nemeth.

Angie’s showcase has another great contemorary romance connected to the popular Kowalskis from Shannon Stacey, a romantic suspense from Adrienne Giordano and steam punk from Cindy Spencer Pape.     

In Deb’s collection you can explore interstellar space, get caught up in a caper, dabble in the paranormal and solve a murder aboard a cruise ship.

I hope you enjoy!                                                                                

Amazon has acquired Avalon Books acquiring over 3,000 backlist titles in romance, mystery and western. None of the titles have been digitally published. “I’ve been running Avalon Books–which was founded by my father–since 1995, and it is time for me to explore the next chapter of my life,” said Ellen Bouregy Mickelsen, Publisher of Avalon Books. “I chose Amazon Publishing because they care deeply about the writers, readers, and categories that have long mattered to our family business and they are uniquely positioned to assure that our titles make the leap forward into the digital future. I am pleased they have asked me to assist during a period of transition to provide continuity and support for our authors.”

F+W launched their original romance ebook imprint today: Crimson Romance.  Welcome! It truly is more like the Romance Wars all over again, which means there is lots of opportunty and choice for authors. Crimson is publishing romance in 5 series and actively looking for submissions.

And, of course, Entangled shared some of their amazing numbers over the weekend. As a fellow publisher I am certainly impressed at how well some of their titles are performing, and do think their covers are excellent. I spent some time on their site this week, and realized the majority of their pricing is $2.99 whether the story is a novella or full-length novel in any range. Of course, the $2.99 pricing is attractive to consumers, but what do writers think about it and the future of pricing for our stories.?Will readers only be willing to spend a few dollars on their books? Or does the $9.99 price of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY show that readers will spend whatever is needed to get the book they want?

What do authors think? Are we jumping at short term gain and about to face a bleak future? What about when the big online retailers decide to change self pub rates (you don’t have a contract with them, so nothing is guaranteed). Seventy percent today could easily be fifty, thirty, or ten tomorrow. Even publishers like Entangled who are using the self pub model at these retailers may find themselves challenged.

Thoughts?