Too bad. I liked this line as a reader. I wonder if this also applies to the Shivers line for their Intrigue titles?
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[Publisher] Harlequin Enterprises Ltd.
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The head editor of Harlequin E/Harlequin Digital First gave a workshop to a small group of people at the Romance Writers of New Zealand conference, and she told us they weren't going to accept any more submissions to the whole Harlequin Digital First aka Harlequin E line (excluding Cosmo Red Hot reads I think)She said they were going to focus on selling what they'd already acquired.
That was back in August, but I notice the website does not say they are closed to submissions, so I'm not sure.
That was back in August, but I notice the website does not say they are closed to submissions, so I'm not sure.
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This is an odd question, but I'm not quite sure where else to put it...
I have a friend who had a book published with Harlequin in the early 90s. She would like to update and either re-submit elsewhere or self-pub the story, but needs to double check available rights. (She is reasonably sure everything is expired.)
We contacted Harlequin in NY, who told us that all contracts are handled in Canada. We contacted Canada and they told us they don't have any contracts, call NY.
Attempts to locate her former editor have been unsuccessful.
Does anyone have any ideas as to how to get a copy of a 22 year old contract from Harlequin? (Yes, she did have a copy, but has had several moves and a divorce, and apparently one of those ate the original manuscript and contract.)
I have a friend who had a book published with Harlequin in the early 90s. She would like to update and either re-submit elsewhere or self-pub the story, but needs to double check available rights. (She is reasonably sure everything is expired.)
We contacted Harlequin in NY, who told us that all contracts are handled in Canada. We contacted Canada and they told us they don't have any contracts, call NY.
Attempts to locate her former editor have been unsuccessful.
Does anyone have any ideas as to how to get a copy of a 22 year old contract from Harlequin? (Yes, she did have a copy, but has had several moves and a divorce, and apparently one of those ate the original manuscript and contract.)
Maybe try sending this as a query to one of the agents? Although it's not exactly what they do, some eyes are bound to see the email (eventually 
)
)
Your friend really should come here to ask her own questions: otherwise we risk facts getting unintentionally distorted as they're passed from one person to another.
Harlequin was based in Toronto for years; then some time last year it was taken over by HarperCollins, I think, which is based in New York. So it's possible their contracts department is based in either location!
Your friend can't just assume that anything has expired. I am not a fan of Harlequin's contracts, and as far as I remember they do not "expire". There are sometimes rights reversion clauses, but the ones I've seen rely on a book going out of print, and the author then taking steps to request reversion. If this is the case, and your friend does not take these steps, then she does not have the right to republish her book in any form. Please warn her to be careful. Harlequin has been known to be litigious.
As far as what your friend can do, well, if she had an agent at the time of signing her first step should be to contact that agent and ask for them to advise her. If she wasn't represented then she does need that contract. Harlequin might be able to provide one; or they might be happy to just revert her rights, as it's been twenty years or so since the book was published. I suggest she phone Harlequin and ask to speak to their contracts department or failing that, their legal team, and ask for their advice. Without her original contract it's going to be more complex to sort this out, but it's not going to be impossible.
Maybe try sending this as a query to one of the agents? Although it's not exactly what they do, some eyes are bound to see the email (eventually
Which agents did you mean, ghostwriter? The original poster doesn't mention any agents, and literary agents are separate entities to publishers. Have I missed something?
Thanks.
She did not have an agent. She won the contract as part of a contest and was paid a flat fee (no royalties).
She did not have an agent. She won the contract as part of a contest and was paid a flat fee (no royalties).
Being paid a flat fee and no royalties implies that this book was signed on a work-for-hire basis--which means they'll have bought all rights, including the copyright of the work, and she'll have no rights to the work now. In which case there wouldn't have been a reversion of rights, as Harlequin owned it outright.
She has to be very careful. She can't assume that anything has expired: all she can do now is hope that her original contract turns up, or that Harlequin has one on file.
Is the contest still running? Could she contact the organisers and find out anything from them?
She has to be very careful. She can't assume that anything has expired: all she can do now is hope that her original contract turns up, or that Harlequin has one on file.
Is the contest still running? Could she contact the organisers and find out anything from them?
No, the contest was actually run by Harlequin. I think they did it for a few years in the early 90s, but I'm not 100% on that.
We are continuing to look for the contract and make contact with the right person at Harlequin. Until rights are ascertained, it sits - that is the right thing to do.
I will update if/when we figure it out - just in case anyone else is looking for a 20+ year old contract!
We are continuing to look for the contract and make contact with the right person at Harlequin. Until rights are ascertained, it sits - that is the right thing to do.
I will update if/when we figure it out - just in case anyone else is looking for a 20+ year old contract!
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I got a like on one of my pitches for #DVpit and submitted to Harlequin. I've read through a lot of this thread, but there's isn't a lot since the new year, and I was just wondering if anyone here has published with them, what category/genre, how did you like working with them, etc. 
thanks!
thanks!
This just in (via Dear Author): Blaze will shut down in '17. Also, "[a]round the same time, it appears that Harlequin Historical and Harlequin Romance will both be going digital, ending print distribution in the U.S., at least."
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Of course, since my current WIP is specifically geared to the Blaze line. Oh well. I just hope its authors will find new, good homes.
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There's a bit more on this in the Romance subforum. It's not entirely clear, but Blaze may be replaced with something more steamy? Don't despair yet.
Does that mean that print would continue in other countries, or is it just that, for now, it'll start with U.S. and might eventually extend?
Voicing my concern as a consumer that I am not pleased that the Historical line will no longer be available in print in stores. I have had some of their short run print books already and in my opinion they were inferior quality with flimsy covers and pages. I assume this is how their POD books will be produced?
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ah ok, so is it only Blaze then? I submitted to Harlequin Nocturne, so I imagine this has nothing to do with what's going on for Blaze...?
As Cao told us earlier,
Blaze, HR and HH are all different imprints under the Harlequin umbrella, as is Nocturne, I assume. I can't say that Nocturne won't be affected, as when a publisher restructures it can have knock-on effects throughout its business: but for now, I'd say Nocturne isn't affected. Other branches of Harlequin in other countries will continue to operate as they always have.
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Harlequin frequently shuts down lines/imprints and opens new ones, renames and re-brands lines. It's been doing that for the last ten years at least.
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I suspected that might be the case, Ginger.
In the UK HM&B has a very different business model to most publishers. One print run, four weeks or so on the shelves, and that's that. Those books are done with and the next month's new titles replace them. It doesn't sustain titles in the way that other publishers do. It's likely that the US side of the business has similar tendencies and if it does, I wouldn't be at all surprised that it extends that swiftness (and to some extent, ruthlessness) to its imprints.
In the UK HM&B has a very different business model to most publishers. One print run, four weeks or so on the shelves, and that's that. Those books are done with and the next month's new titles replace them. It doesn't sustain titles in the way that other publishers do. It's likely that the US side of the business has similar tendencies and if it does, I wouldn't be at all surprised that it extends that swiftness (and to some extent, ruthlessness) to its imprints.
I know that in the US, the HQ paperbacks were so ubiquitous that thrift stores and used bookshops would not even take them for trade, much less cash value.
I had a friend who wrote for HQ back in the 80s...basically work for hire, one payment for book, publisher takes all rights. She said it made it hard to fall in love with her characters, and easy to write to a formula.
I had a friend who wrote for HQ back in the 80s...basically work for hire, one payment for book, publisher takes all rights. She said it made it hard to fall in love with her characters, and easy to write to a formula.
It's the same system in Canada. The books are on the shelves for about a month before the next month's selection replaces them.
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It wouldn't have anything to do with Nocturne no. I hope Nocturne will survive.