When do you say good-bye to a publisher?

Naomi and I are in the process of re-evaluating our publishing options.

Ellora's Cave pays very well, even if the revision process makes us crazy.
We're thinking of sending them more stuff, just for the money. We feel a bit lost in the crowd.

Phaze is doing diddly/squat for us. "Collared Hearts" made about $70 and "Pushing the Boundaries of Reality" hasn't sold AT ALL. It can't even get a review. After "Frosted Hearts" I think we're bidding Phaze farewell.

Circle Dark is a "wait and see" on finances, but I find the editing non-intrusive and I feel like I'm part of the operation there.

The big problem is Torquere.
They don't pay well enough to keep writing for them: $10-50/short. My single shots makes about 50-70 when they're royalties--compare to $260 above. Our novel made about $300/each as a Turn of the Screw serial.

The attitude is very cliquish. (And some things have gotten a little chilly since three midlisters, myself included, reviewed better than a couple of big names in an anthology) When I host the LJ, I'm lucky to get 2 comments. I tried to be the go-to gal, the "hey we need a story fast" writer. I've been with them for almost 4 years. I don't even have a banner to my page on their website. I feel very second-rate, second tier, almost a nuisance there.

I've found typos in a lot of their work. This is not only my stuff, but other authors'. bad proofing.

And the deal breaker: they contracted a story. We were waiting on edits. Then they had a change of editors. We got word that unless we removed all the sexualized violence from the tale, they couldn't take it. They would really prefer a new story altogether.

We're still under contract for that story and a Birthstones story.
And we're close to done with a piece for Love Bites
But after that, I suspect Brooks and Sparrow are leaving TQ

We're considering Aphrodite's Apples.

My day

On the back of a roll-door, there is a strap to pull it back down.
This was wet.
Rather than have it whap me in the face--since I didn't raise the door all the way--I looped it through the pull handle. Later, the door rolled all the way up.

The macro? is me with a load bar, trying to push it back down far enough to grasp the shortened strap.

It sleeted on me in Marion, snowed and sleeted and rained in Jonesboro and rained rest of the day.

I got done early, and went to the bank to cash a royalty check. They gave me the $16 and deposited the 0.82.


Bun is off to audition for All-State Band tomorrow. Think good thoughts.

January round up

This month:

Work: meh. Good days outnumbered the bad

Health: cervix still squamous. cholesterol still high. Exercise helping dyspepsia. Eating more whole grains. Scale says 280. broken teeth extracted. Tendonitis in my elbows helped by anti-inflamatories, braces and cortisone shot.

Marriage; still married. Still cuddling for more than warmth

Kids: Bun trying for All-State Band. Dollface painted 100 hearts on a t-shirt for the 100th day of school. Obi not doing so hot, school or health wise. he's puny. Jonner failing spelling.

Books: Strange candy by Laurel K Hamilton

Cats: still mouthy. Tribble fixed.

Movies: Sweeney Todd, Full Metal Alchemist: The Conquest of Shamballa, Smokey and the Bandit, Ever After

Writing:
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