I was tired yesterday, my mind half engaged due to the fact I’m hosting relatives by day and editing at night. Dear Author had a post regarding Samhain’s change in focus for submissions. Natch, my post came out ass backwards. Meant to imply I was the third person glad to see proactive behavior. However, the fact I typed three instead of third gave a whole new meaning to the sentence. 
This is why I should not post on blogs when I’m tired. It would help 
if I remembered that when I am tired.
However, after reading over the posts, it occurred to me the announcement didn’t really require this level of excitement. In a normal year, no one would have even noticed because shifting to accepting submissions in all genres as long they have some type of romantic element is not much of a shift from what is currently being purchased, and really not news worthy but the level of relief that I and others felt that an e publisher made a simple PR announcement is indicative of just how pessimistic the events in the e world over the last year of so have made many of us.
While I know Samhain’s refocus will be disappointing to some authors, and while I feel for them, I am still going to allow my out of proportion happiness to continue because after a year of disasters, it is refreshing to see a business behaving in a business like manner in regard to their business.
But you know, it’s really been a rough year in epublishing. Just watching from the sidelines, I’m exhausted. I hope 2008 brings a positive change for publishers and authors alike and that this is just the start of a fresh new wave of positive energy. 
Oh, and the thread has an interesting discussion regarding the definition of Urban Fantasy and how it’s evolving. Pretty interesting.
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I read that post also and I am very surprised epublishing is having a hard time. I honestly think in the next 5-10 year ebooks will take over, even more so than print books. Even though I do prefer print over ebooks, it seems those portable little ereaders are becoming so popular. And now with libraries, you can download books right to your computer in PDF form or microsoft ereader.
But what does it mean when epublishers want more romance center stories? I am over the moon about this because et again the romance genre rules and everyone else who says otherwise can go take their ereader and shove it where the sun don’t shine. 
As always I am not worthy of you Sarah
by katiebabs
on December 30th, 2007 at 10:51 am
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Hi Katiebabs-
Laughing at whip guy! You tell them Katie!
The move to romance-
I think it means that the heavier the romance element the better the sell through. IMO- if the ebook industry moves heavily back into erotic romance (Full romance with integrated erotic elements rather than the opposite) I think they’ll have a good opportunity to gain a lot more readership. NY is currently doing a lot of books with Romantic elements, but not so much erotic romance. Epubs can use their ability to move fast to lure those readers looking for a full romance plus erotic elements to their houses.
Just my opinion, but I do think a successful epublisher is one who can move into openings (niches) in the market and exploit them to the readers advantage. The more niches they fulfill well, the more loyal the readership they will tend to garner.
Sarah 
by Sarah
on December 30th, 2007 at 11:11 am
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It’s a very logical move for Samhain, since that’s nearly all they’re publishing anyway. The other genre titles are a tiny percentage of Samhain’s catalog. It just makes sense to focus on their core. But yes, isn’t it nice to see a positive?
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E-publishing is the emerging trend and most of the publishers are focused on it. I saw a website recently www.pressmart.net providing the services of digitization for print publications. Most of the publishers are using the features of pressmart.net and this site is user friendly.
by Scott
on January 14th, 2008 at 5:26 am
